Shadows of the Past
by pesky.lil.critter
Summary: "You loved her, didn't you?" - "Its Harry. There's something wrong in that house." - "They're James and Lily Potter. And Lily asked for help." - I'm sorry, Lily. - A story of Shadows, childhood, healing and love. All kinds of love...
1. The Beginning

**The Beginning**

Severus Snape hated Gryffindor/Slytherin classes. In the beginning of the year there had been an incident which had made people want to confess all kinds of misdeeds. Since then he made it a point to keep _everyone_ from throwing ingredients because as much as he liked seeing Gryffindors humiliated, it wouldn't do for students to get injured in his class. Especially since this was his first year of teaching.

It was strange. As a student he'd watched his classmates and his teachers carefully. They were likely to be his enemies at some point and he liked to know his enemy as well as possible. It made them easier to defeat. Now Severus was the teacher watching the students. He knew that Susan Gardner, third year, Ravenclaw, had a crush on Markus Greengrass, fifth year, Slytherin. Jenny Markin, fourth year, Hufflepuff, had a talent for pencil drawing though her handwriting was atrocious.

Well, and then there was a sixth year, Gryffindor named Annabeth Gray. She wasn't very tall but she made people notice her. Her long hair looked black until the sun shone on it, and then it shimmered in brown with a touch of red and one or two blond strands. Her eyes were blue. Severus could never really define them properly, he wasn't sure if they were like the sky or the sea or maybe something else altogether.

He couldn't understand why she'd been sorted into Gryffindor. From Potions classes and the teachers' gossip he knew that she had a thirst for knowledge that put some Ravenclaws to shame and she was as hardworking and fair as any Hufflepuff, she was cunning enough for Slytherin and possessed the bravery of a true Gryffindor.

And besides, her smile could always lift his mood even if he didn't show it. No other student ever smiled at him. Most of them knew him from the papers and the rest was too intimidated by his expression and overall behaviour.

Today, however, was Lily's birthday and his mood was even worse. He couldn't help thinking that she'd celebrate it with her son and her husband and her friends if he hadn't listened at that door or if he hadn't told the Dark Lord about it.

But just like every Wednesday Miss Gray lifted her head to smile at him and he scowled at her before he kept walking. She looked perplexed for a moment then she turned back to her work.

He almost felt guilty until he reminded himself that he had every right to scowl at his students.

Severus went back to his desk and started to grade homework. And then finally class was over. Sixth year Gryffindor and Slytherin were his last class for the day and when the students were gone he sagged in his chair and put his head in his arms.

Suddenly someone cleared their throat. Severus jumped and there was Miss Gray still sitting in her chair. He opened his mouth to get her to leave when she said, "You should let them go, Professor."

"Who?" he asked before he could stop himself. He felt his teeth pierce his lip but the pain didn't even register as Miss Gray started speaking again.

"The Shadows of the Past. They follow you around, you know. Two young men both with black hair. One of them has glasses. And a woman. She has red hair and she's always smiling. They're gone from your life. Let them go before they take it over. They were almost starting to fade at the beginning of the year but on Halloween the man with the glasses and the woman came back. And a few days later the other man was back too. Over Christmas they were fading again but today the woman is back. She almost looks solid. You loved her, didn't you?" She hadn't been looking at him but when she asked about Lily her eyes met his.

Pain. Terrible pain. And guilt. All of it mixed with that overwhelming love he held for Lily. And then finally, anger. He could handle anger, he could use it. Miss Gray didn't even blink when he rose absolutely furious and said with forced calm, "Get out of my classroom, Miss Gray. And thirty points from Gryffindor."

"I'll see you at dinner, Professor." She picked up her bag, smiled at him and slipped out the door. Severus stared at the closed door for almost twenty minutes after she was gone. Then he shook his head and went to his quarters in a daze. The corridors were empty and later he'd be grateful for that but now he didn't even notice.

He didn't go to dinner. He spent the evening in an armchair by the fire watching the flames and tried very hard not to think, not to feel. He felt something run down his face and some very small rational part of his mind understood he was crying. When he was finally too tired to cry, he fell asleep.

He dreamed of Lily, her eyes, her smile, her laughter, the way she looked when she was angry, the way she bit her lower lip when she was concentrating on something, her nails bitten until she bled because she was nervous. He dreamed of long hours in the library and of heated discussions about rather pointless things. He dreamed of watching her walk away, the first time they met, after small fights, when he called her a Mudblood and then when he asked for her forgiveness. But every now and then someone else's smile, eyes and laughter sneaking in. Blue eyes; a gentle smile; soft, quiet laughter.


	2. Promises

**AN:** Hi, everyone, I hope you're all fine. Well, I hadn't realized just how much work this writing business is. Stupid of me. For once mom isn't to blame for my posting a new chapter.

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Promises

The next morning Severus woke with a painfully stiff neck and an aching back. After a long hot shower and two cups of coffee he felt a little better. Just well enough to attend breakfast.

To his surprise it was still early so no one noticed anything strange going on. On the other hand, the look on his face repelled everyone but Dumbledore like an Impervius charm did water. Considering the way Dumbledore's eyes darted between Miss Gray at the Gryffindor table and him, Severus was sure the old man at least suspected.

Biting in a buttered piece of toast he decided not to waste a single thought on Annabeth Gray for the rest of the day. And he'd do his level best to avoid thinking of Lily too. He was _Severus Snape_, damn it! He could control himself.

_Severus Snape_ sighed. If he stopped lying to himself for just one second, he might realize just how pointless an exercise this was.

* * *

Betty suppressed a sigh and sneaked another glance at the Head table. She shouldn't have done that yesterday. It had been reckless and stupid and probably the reason she'd become a Gryffindor instead of a Ravenclaw. But she just couldn't stand by and watch while someone she liked was in pain and Severus Snape was both.

Someone tapped her arm and she realized she'd been staring. "What do you have with him, Annabeth?" her best friend Michael Turner hissed in her ear. She felt herself flush in embarrassment at being caught and anger at him for using her full name.

"First of all, do NOT call me that. Second, he has Shadows. Remember Mrs. Garner? He could become like her. And I'd rather not let that happen if I can prevent it." She paused to glance at Snape again then turned back to Mike. "And I can. All he needs is someone who can accept him and more importantly _like _him for who he is instead of hating him for what he was."

Mike looked over her shoulder at Snape who was scowling fiercely at a few laughing Hufflepuffs. "I don't think you can help that one. Do you want to know what I think?" Betty stared in his eyes with a look that said _'Bring it on'._ "I think you'll get hurt. I think this will destroy you and I might not be able to pick up the pieces. Besides, you can't rely on me to glue you together like Humpty Dumpty every time you jump off a figurative building headfirst. Learn to fly or stop jumping, Betty." He grabbed his bag and left the Hall before she could answer. She turned back to the table and tried to decide if she was doing the right thing. Maybe she should listen to Mike and stop trying to heal everyone. But she wouldn't be Annabeth Kristina Gray if she gave up.

Resolved she grabbed an apple and a pear, put the pear in her schoolbag and left the Hall eating her apple and making plans to find Severus Snape's heart. But first things first, she needed to go to the library to find out just who was haunting his thoughts so badly that they became Shadows. There was a lot to do.

Up at the Head table Albus watched Miss Gray leave. He was worried about her and Severus both and he was sure that they could help each other but at least one of them would need to be nudged in the right direction.

Those two were his current problem children. He just wasn't sure what problem Miss Gray presented.

The day passed calmly until just after 3 pm when Betty found a graduation photo of Snape's final year. Lily Evans, James Potter and Sirius Black. All three were Gryffindors and Snape was (Surprise!) a Slytherin. She knew who Sirius Black was of course and she knew that the Boy-Who-Lived was named Harry Potter but Potter wasn't exactly an uncommon name. So she dug through the Daily Prophets until she found one containing an obituary about the Potters written by Minerva McGonagall. She talked about Lily, James and Harry almost the way you'd talk about your children and grandchildren. There were photos scattered all throughout the article. Lily and James fighting then kissing and making up, both of them talking to different people but his hand always stayed on her round belly. Lily in a hospital bed with James beside her, both of them staring at the bundle in her arms. Little Harry smiling in the camera, crawling, walking.

Betty gathered her findings and went to her dorm, avoiding Madam Pince on her way out. She really needed to talk to Mike. He'd do his best to help her even if he thought she was making a mistake. She loved him for it. In the most proper of senses of course.

* * *

Sitting on her bed Betty thought about the Shadows. Lots of people had them. Most of them weren't even aware that someone was haunting them. Because that was what Shadows did. They haunted a person's thoughts and dreams, followed them through life as if it were their own. Most people never noticed and simply lived their lives. Some got depressed when they noticed the dead not leaving their thoughts and some could sort of see them. Like Mrs. Garner. She'd seen shadows following people around, moving like a shadow without a body. A few days after her Husband died she committed suicide by throwing herself off the hospital roof. When they examined her they found a diary clutched in her hand.

It was her own. She wrote that people with Shadows often had problems and she made it a point to help them. The entries stopped for about a week around her husband's death then continued in a rather panicky tone. Apparently she'd looked in the mirror on the morning of his funeral and seen him standing beside her, looking ten years younger and smiling. She'd turned around and he was gone. Things like that kept occurring until she became terrified of reflective surfaces.

Personally, Betty thought the shock of her husband dying in a car accident had fully released her gift. If you could call it that.

Betty herself had seen the Shadows since she was six years old. She had seen her cousin die, though she hadn't known what was going on at the time. She did know something terrible had just happened when dad carried her from the room. She'd seen her Aunt Jessica's expression and heard her howls of pain. Cousin Nikki had been sick for a long time and she'd spent the last weeks of her life in the hospital. Later Betty had found out that she'd had a type of extremely aggressive cancer.

She'd seen Aunt Jessica a week later at Nikki's funeral but there had been a little girl walking beside her. The girl had honey-coloured corkscrew curls and light blue eyes. She looked like a younger Nikki. When Betty had asked her aunt about the girl her parents had looked at her in horror while Aunt Jessica simply looked numb other than the tears streaming down her face.

Betty soon learned to discern real people and Shadow people and she never asked about them again. She didn't mention them anywhere outside her diary. The only person she ever told about the Shadows was Mike

Well, until yesterday. Maybe she should go to McGonagall. Or even better, Dumbledore. They'd know what to do. But then there was the fact that she always felt awkward talking to McGonagall and she didn't really trust the headmaster.

Betty was abruptly shaken from her thoughts by the sound of the door opening. She looked up to see Joanne; one of her dorm mates, walk in. "What's got your ears steaming like that?" was the first thing she said upon seeing Betty.

Somehow that startled a laugh out of her. "Professor Snape to be honest."

Joanne raised an eyebrow. "You're not still sulking about those points he took from Gryffindor last week, are you?" Betty shook her head and opened her mouth but snapped it closed when she realized she had no idea what to tell Joanne.

Joanne laughed and Betty made hmph. Then she threw a pillow at the laughing girl who retaliated just as the other three girls from their dorm entered the room. Katie got hit in the face and immediately joined in, Olivia kept her nose in the air and a disdainful look on her face until Bibi tackled her.

* * *

After the pillow fight Betty went to look for Mike. She found him snogging a Slytherin whose name she couldn't remember. After making sure to take a few pictures she left, trying not to giggle too loudly.

Strange how having good friends made you forget all about strange mysteries and reckless mistakes. If she'd known what she was getting herself into Betty might never have stuck her nose where it didn't belong. On the other hand, she might have done just that. She was a Gryffindor after all.

* * *

**PS** Joanne was named in honour of Joanne K. Rowling. Betty's middle name stems from my mom. The rest is mostly random chance. At least so far. See you for the next chapter, guy and gals.  
I reposted this chapter with fixed breaks between scenes.

Love, Annabeth


	3. Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

**AN: **Hello my dearest fans!  
My mum reads all my chapters before I post them but she seem to be giving this story special attention, asking for more every time I finish a chapter.  
Hope you'll enjoy the little tidbit of the language I grew up with. Love, Annabeth...

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Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

Betty didn't try to talk to Snape again and he did his very best to avoid her.

This worked for almost the rest of the school year. By the time June came round Betty had buried all her findings about Snape, Black and the Potters beneath schoolbooks, spare parchment and ink, clothes, hairclips and other things in her trunk.

The woman-Shadow had been fading again but Betty had no illusions. If Snape really loved her then there was no question she'd be back soon.

Betty fully intended to be there when it happened.

She was currently sitting in her Potions class trying not to fall asleep. Gryffindor had won yesterday's Quidditch match and the partying had only stopped around three in the morning. Double Potions with Slytherin was that Wednesday's first class, followed by History of Magic, and for once History couldn't come soon enough.

Betty pushed a strand of hair from her face and stirred the cauldron in front of her. It was an interesting shade of blue-green instead of the soft purple it was supposed to be. The consistency reminded her of soup because she couldn't get it to thicken properly.

An alarm rang at the front of the class and Betty jumped, looking around wildly. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that it only signalled that their time was up. She looked down at her cauldron and sighed. She wasn't usually this hopeless at Potions.

She watched Snape walk through the rows of students, commenting on their Potions. As unfair as he was when it came to House points, she thought, he never lied about how well the students had brewed their potions. He only added more insults to his comments about Gryffindor.

He reached Betty. "I expected more from you, Miss Gray. Do you have an excuse for this," he grimaced. "soup?"

"I've had a lot on my mind lately, Professor. I'm sorry."

"And what might that be that it occupies your mind in _my_ class?"

"Lily Evans. You. Passing my History of Magic exam. My niece. And _someone_" I turned to glare at Mike. "thought it would be a good idea to surround Gryffindor tower with Silencing Charms so Professor McGonagall wouldn't hear them partying all night. I couldn't sleep and I'm no good at Silencing Charms."

Snape nodded. "I will bring this to Professor McGonagall's attention immediately. Do inform her the next time something of this nature occurs, Miss Gray. And everyone passes History of Magic while Binns teaches." He sneered. "One last thing. _Mischen Sie sich nicht in meine Angelegenheiten ein__._" And then he moved on to the next student.

Betty sat frozen. Where did Snape learn German? And how did he know she spoke it? Betty had lived in Great Britain since she was three so her English was flawless but her parents had made sure she didn't forget her home and everything that came with it. They'd spent most of their holidays in Austria, visiting family, showing her where they had grown up.

When they left the dungeons for History Mike asked her, "What did he say?"

_Don't interfere in my business. _"Nothing." She told him. He looked like he wanted to press her to tell him but then he shook his head and said, "Nothing's got you awfully riled up." She nodded absently, not really listening and made sure to sit in the very back corner of the classroom.

If nothing else, she might get some sleep that way.

* * *

Something told Severus that his reprimand wouldn't keep Miss Gray from finding out the truth for long. His use of her mother tongue would keep her occupied for a while but she was a Gryffindor so she wasn't likely to just give up.

But for now he might as well make good on his promise. McGonagall was surely in the staff room or her office. They shared a cherished free period between their Gryffindor/Slytherin classes. At the same time Severus had the seventh years, McGonagall had the fifth years. An hour later it was the other way round. And in-between they had that hour of free time. After an incident in the second week of school they had agreed to exchange information during that time. If a student was acting up in Severus' class he told McGonagall, if a student was distracted in her class she told Severus. In those months she had, though he wouldn't admit it, learned to read his face and body language rather well. For the first time since his school years he was almost afraid to see Professor McGonagall. He grimaced. _Congratulations, you're feeling like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar and crumbs on your mouth and shirt._

* * *

Severus seemed strangely distracted while Minerva told him about Mac Carter, a fifth year Slytherin who'd thought it would be funny to turn Silvie Marcon's hair into snakes. Being a Gryffindor, the girl had retaliated by shooting a hex at Carter which made for a rather… uncomfortable problem. Minerva had taken a number of points from both houses, sent Carter to the infirmary and restored Marcon's hair back to its usual dirty blonde. But Severus didn't even scowl at her for taking points from his house. "Severus?"

"Hm?" he wasn't usually this inarticulate.

"Severus!" this time he reacted; his head turned sharply and his back straightened. Minerva had to suppress a snicker. He looked like a student who had fallen asleep in her class. "Why are you so distracted, Severus? And don't lie to me; you know I can't stand that."

Severus rolled his eyes and huffed but Minerva was sure it was mostly for form. "It has been brought to my attention that several Gryffindors were unable to sleep last night because the other students were enjoying a wild party. According to Miss Gray the tower had been surrounded with Silencing charms. Her lack of sleep caused her to completely botch her potion today." He almost looked disappointed at Gray's failure. However, she was sure that wasn't all but she knew if she pushed, he'd never tell her anything. Silence ensued.

The two sat there for nearly half an hour, enjoying tea and the peaceful silence. Minerva was about to ask Severus what material he intended cover over the next week when the door opened and Albus entered looking somewhat distressed. He looked around and relaxed a little when his eyes met Severus'. With a gesture to the young man he walked back out the door.

Severus exchanged a glance with Minerva before setting down his cup and hurrying out the door. Left behind, she sipped from her own tea, hoping fervently that a lack of lemon drops or another missing sock was currently the greatest crisis at Hogwarts.

Either way, she'd find out soon enough. In the meantime she had Silencing charms and disobedient students to address. None of the Gryffindors would tell her which of them was the culprit but Minerva had her suspicions. Considering Flitwick's comments about Michael Turner's excellent charm work, the young man was her main suspect.

* * *

Dumbledore was completely silent on their way to his office. Severus followed him equally silent, pessimistically imagining worst case-scenarios. A movement at the edge of his vision distracted him for a moment but when he turned his head there was nothing but a sleeping portrait.

Severus shook his head and wondered why he couldn't help thinking of Miss Gray and her Shadows. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he nearly collided with Dumbledore when the man stopped. "Candy Canes."

There was a little woman with grey hair and a slightly fearful expression waiting in of the chairs in front of the headmaster's desk. She hadn't noticed them yet and Severus could see her fidgeting nervously with the pink purse in her lap.

"Arabella, how are you, my dear?" The woman jumped up at the sound of Dumbledore's voice and immediately assured him that she was just fine but- And then she caught sight of Severus.

"Severus, this is Arabella Figg. Arabella, this is Severus Snape." Dumbledore watched as they shook hands before walking around his desk to sit. Figg sat back down and Severus followed her example, though he made sure to keep his wand easily accessible. Call him paranoid but desperate times called for desperate measures.

After going through the candy-offering-and-declining-ritual, Dumbledore finally gave Figg that look that made people feel as though he were pinning their soul to the wall. Severus was glad it wasn't fixed on him. "Now, my dear, what is so urgent that you would travel here yourself instead of sending a letter?"

Figg squirmed a bit as she answered, "Its Harry. There's something wrong in that house."

* * *

June 16th. It was a relief and something of a miracle that she'd made it this far at all. Mike and Joanne had continually assured Betty that she wouldn't, couldn't fail any exams, but she had still worried. Now exams were over and she had two whole weeks to relax before she had to face her family.

Betty grimaced. Mom and Dad had insisted that they visit all of their family in Austria over the holidays. Dad's sister was spending some with her parents, along with her husband and three daughters. Aunt Barbie (not that Betty ever called her that out loud) lived in Canada with her family and only visited once every five to ten years. Of course Betty's parents would want to see them again. Never mind that Betty couldn't stand her cousins Helen, Juliet and Magdalena.

Neither her grandparents nor any other family except for her parents knew about Betty being a witch. They thought she went to some boarding school for gifted children. Betty's smiles always turned sarcastic when someone mentioned that. It was true after all, just not the way they thought it was.

A cry of pain drew her attention and she turned from the lake to look toward Hogwarts-

And the world stopped.


	4. Watching Over You

**AN:** I struggled with this one rather a lot. I sincerely hope it's worth the effort.  
Enjoy the ride.

Love, Annabeth…

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****Watching Over You**

Snape was carrying someone toward the school, which in and of itself was incredibly strange, but that wasn't what drew Betty's attention.

For one, all his Shadows were back to their near-solid form and crowding close around him, second, and far more important, there were two glowing people walking on either side of Snape. Or perhaps glowing wasn't the right word, Betty thought, moving to follow Snape, shiny white aura was more accurate. She was only a few meters away now, and she could see that Snape carrying a small child. The white figures didn't seem to be real people, much the same way Shadows weren't, and they were a red-headed woman and a tall man with black hair and glasses. They looked like Lily and James Potter but a bit different, older maybe.

"Professor Snape!" Betty called, making him stop and whirl around. She ran up to him. "Are going to see Professor Dumbledore?" Snape regarded her suspiciously before he nodded curtly, once. "Great. I'll come with you."

He shot her cold look and began walking again. "You will most certainly not. Haven't you got anything better to do, Miss Gray?"

"No, sir. My friends are busy, my things are packed and I've begun my summer homework in Potions. Besides, I need to see the headmaster about Shadows and that kid you're carrying." She nodded at the boy, who, on closer inspection, appeared to be asleep or unconscious. She was almost running to keep up with Snape. Scowling, he shot her another cold look though he didn't comment or attempt to dissuade her again.

By the time they finally reached the gargoyle which guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office, Betty was panting harshly. "Candy Canes." She heard Snape say and then the gargoyle moved aside to allow view to a staircase. Betty followed Snape still breathing fast and loud, and stopped two steps below him. Unwarned, she nearly fell when the staircase lurched beneath her feet and then smoothly spun upwards. She glared at Snape's back.

Dumbledore seemed to have known beforehand that they would arrive at that precise moment; he asked them to enter before they had managed to knock. When Betty followed Snape into the office she saw Dumbledore murmuring to a big red bird –_Phoenix_, her mind whispered- but he turned around a moment later.

"Headmaster, I've brought the boy with me. No child should be made to live in such conditions. The Muggles seemed to be glad to be rid of him." Betty watched Snape's arms tighten slightly while he spoke, though neither his voice nor his face betrayed any emotions.

"Muggles? May I ask who the child is?" Snape glared at her, but this wasn't cold, this was hot anger.

At that moment the Lily Potter with her white aura stepped in front of Betty. She stepped back in surprise –she'd nearly forgotten about those two- and ignored Snape and Dumbledore's strange looks while she tried –and failed- to control her expression. Lily mouthed one word. _Help_.

Betty couldn't control the tiny strangled scream that escaped her throat then, and her hands groped frantically for something to sit on. When she couldn't find anything her legs gave out and she landed in a heap on the floor beside Snape.

"Oh God." She whispered and then dark spots appeared in her field of vision. They expanded as she swayed and then everything was black.

* * *

Betty awoke to a strange mixture of bright white light and a dark hovering shadow. She blinked a few times and shook her head to dispel the fuzziness. The light turned out to be James Potter with his aura and the shadow was Snape scowling down at her while he tucked away his wand. It was somewhat comical to see them like that, standing side by side with similar expressions of scornful concern. "I apologize, sir. I was merely… startled." Betty sighed, while she watched the concern leave Snape's face and his scowl intensified. "I suppose I'll have to tell you a bit about Shadows so you'll understand why these-" she cut herself off, breathe deeply for a moment and lowered herself gratefully into the comfortable chair Dumbledore provided with a wave of his wand. "Before I begin, I want to know who that child is." She thrust her chin forward and crossed arms, waiting until Dumbledore nodded before looking around for the boy. She found him sitting in a small chair to her right. Snape stood a step behind them, hovering near the child. He had messy black hair, his shoulders hunched forward protectively and he peered at the adults through the curtain of his hair. In short, he made himself small and preferably invisible.

"Hello. My name is Betty. Who are you?" Betty smiled at him, though she had to work hard to maintain her cheerfulness as the boy hunched down further, wrapping his thin arms around himself. Snape made an indiscernible noise and swooped forward, recoiling again immediately; the boy had flinched violently at the movement. Dumbledore sighed deeply, turning a soul-piercing stare on Betty. She fought not to squirm but her hands twitched anyway. Thank Merlin for wide sleeves.

"This young man-" Snape snorted. "-is Harry Potter. Professor Snape went to see how he and his relatives were fairing. One of their neighbours had her suspicions, you see. She was certain he was being abused, as his babysitter, she was in an excellent position to judge." He glanced at Snape who nodded slightly, making the headmaster sigh again. "I'm afraid she was correct. Now, I trust you will keep this to yourself, Miss Gray." He gave her another one of those stares and she nodded immediately. What else could she have done? Harry woke the instinct Raphaela, Nikki's sister, did. Mum called it maternal instinct. _"It's something most every woman has. And you're a woman, make no mistake. Not fully grown, of course, but a woman nonetheless."_ Mum would say. Raphaela was ten years minus a day younger than Betty. She had practically raised the girl, Aunt Jessica seeming unable to care for anyone or anything after her fist daughter's death. She'd not even nursed the child. Raphaela had often slipped up and called Betty 'Mama' without thinking. It always sent a sting of pain and a rush of love through her. It was curious that Harry Potter should invoke, if not the same, at least vastly similar feelings in Betty. Protectiveness, anger at the ones that hurt him, a strange fondness that could easily grow into love, given time.

Betty suppressed a sigh. "I have a… gift." She began cautiously. "I see Shadows. They're almost like ghosts, only they're a mixture of memories and desires. They're invisible to most people. I can see them since I was six. I watched my cousin die of cancer, and I'm pretty sure it triggered the ability. Shadows are like ghost in that they haunt people. They fill their thoughts, their dreams, their minds and hearts. In my experience, nearly everyone has at least one Shadow. But I suspect that's much to do with the war. Many people lost relatives, friends and lovers, and sometimes that leaves the survivors with Shadows. Both of you have them." Betty watched the Phoenix intently. She didn't dare look at her teachers. She laughed bitterly. "I can pick out the Muggleborns in the lower years simply by looking for Shadows." She turned her gaze in Harry. "There's just one problem. Harry here doesn't have Shadows. He was probably too young at his parents' to remember them. Harry has something else. They look like Shadows and not at the same time. They react to people the same way but they're surrounded by white light. Sort of the way angels do in pictures." Betty smiled at Harry for a moment before turning to look at Dumbledore. "They're James and Lily Potter. And Lily asked for help."

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****PS:** So, what do you think? I'm in need of reassurance that people are actually reading this, and if they (you) are, what they think. Mom reads all my stuff, but she's a bit biased in my opinion, and I'd love to have more than one opinion. *hint, hint*  
See ya!


	5. Of Stories Told

**AN:** Well, the story is unravelling. Wish our characters luck. ;)  
Love, Annabeth

**Of Stories Told**

"_Lily asked for help."_

By now Severus was damn close to fainting himself. Dumbledore was staring at Miss Gray, Miss Gray was staring at a point above Potter's head, and Potter was staring at the floor near Miss Gray's feet.

The silence was oppressive, making Severus feel like a child; he used to sit in the kitchen after his parents had stormed off, and he'd listen to the silence. This sounded too similar for comfort.

A little movement in front of him and to the right startled him from his thoughts. Potter was fidgeting in his seat, darting little glances at the door. He reminded Severus of someone, but he couldn't place the resemblance until the boy crossed his legs. _Oh._ The child looked like one of Severus' students in urgent need of a toilet.

Severus cleared his throat, not looking away from Potter, and said, "Come along, Mr. Potter. I'll show you to the boys' lavatory."

Potter jumped out of his seat and was at Severus' side before he finished speaking.

Together they left the office.

* * *

Severus watched Potter as they walked. He had to suppress a sigh. There really wasn't anything of James Potter in that child. Except, perhaps, for that terrible hair. He rather pitied the child for having inherited that.

Harry Potter looked by far more delicate than his father ever had. Severus supposed that might come from nurture as much as nature. The green eyes that seemed almost too large for the small face didn't help the resemblance. James' eyes had been a flat brown.

And Severus had never seen James wear such a fearful expression, or show such terrified submission in his body language. Certainly he had never cowered before anyone the way his son cowered before everyone.

The boy glanced up at Severus for a moment as he held open the door, and he had a vivid vision of Lily, hair surrounding her head like angry flames, green eyes blazing, face pale with rage. She would have looked like that if she'd known what would happen to her son.

Potter looked back at the floor then, and hurried into an empty stall, leaving Severus frozen.

Still holding the door, Severus felt something that might have been his heart jerk and then break.

_I'm sorry, Lily._

* * *

Betty continued to watch the door for nearly a minute after Harry and Snape had disappeared through it. All the while she could feel that soul-piercing stare fixed on her.

Eventually she sighed, turning to meet Dumbledore's eyes, and they sat like that for another minute. In such circumstances a minute can feel like several eternities but finally Dumbledore spoke, gaze losing nothing of its intensity. "Now, I should like very much for you to tell me about this curious gift of yours, Miss Gray." There was no question in his voice, making it clear that he fully expected her to comply with his non-request.

Betty suppressed another sigh, together with a myriad of emotions which she determined to examine sometime later. "What do you know of my family, sir?"

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled. "Your father is an exceptionally gifted physician, is he not?" he waited until Betty nodded. "And your mother teaches history and geography at your local high school. Your mother's sister and her daughter live with you, correct?" Betty nodded again, thinking that Aunt Jessica certainly wasn't _living_.

"You see, my aunt had another daughter, long before Raphaela. Veronika was a year older than I, and we were closer than some sisters I've met. Mum used to say we were almost the same person. Veronika-" Betty refused to call her by her nickname before a stranger. "-had Leukaemia. She died when I was six." She paused, took a deep breath, tried not to remember Aunt Jessica's screams of despair and went on. "I was there, she'd fallen asleep in the middle of a conversation and then she just… stopped. Her breathing stopped and her heart stopped, and even if they'd managed to revive her, her brain had stopped, too. I didn't realize what was going on at the time. I was too young to understand on my own, and my parents were either in shock or unwilling to risk scaring me. But that didn't matter. By the time I saw my aunt again, at the funeral, I could already see Shadows. I scared my family badly when I started talking to my dead cousin, so I learned the difference between Shadows and real people and did not mention them again." Saying this out loud for the first time in years released a strange mixture of pain and relief, and a bit of old grief in her. Besides, she and Mike had been best friends for years before Betty told him anything like this, and even he didn't know the whole story. Some things were too private to reveal even to her best friend. Too bad she thought it necessary to tell Dumbledore everything, just to make him understand, make him believe. There _was_ one thing she could say which would make him unable not to. She hesitated. "Professor… You have a Shadow, too." Something changed in Dumbledore's expression, something not identifiable, not clearly visible. "She's a young girl, probably just reached her teens, with blond hair and eyes rather a lot like yours. She looks very sweet." Dumbledore had gone pale by this time, and his eyes were not twinkling any longer. "I'd guess she was either your sister or your daughter. I also think she died when she was a teenager. I'm very sorry, Professor." He seemed to have frozen. It was quiet in the office, but for the whirring of the collection of silver instruments and Fawkes shifting on his perch.

Finally Dumbledore said quietly, "I suppose we should wait for Professor Snape and Mr. Potter to return before resuming our conversation, Miss Gray. Would you like some tea?"

* * *

The Headmaster and Miss Gray were silent when Severus and Potter returned, sipping tea with the air of two people who had settled a matter of great importance without much struggle. Rather irritating, when Severus himself had done nothing but escort a little boy to the toilet.

Potter, who seemed to have relaxed a little while they were alone, tensed again the moment he crossed the threshold to Dumbledore's office. That at least gave him some semblance of (guilty) satisfaction.

Severus moved to stand in the same spot as before while Potter sat in his chair. They had just settled again when Dumbledore handed a note to Miss Gray, saying, "Miss Gray, would you escort Mr. Potter to the Hospital Wing? I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will be glad for the company." The girl nodded, getting up and offered her hand to Potter. The boy stared at the hand for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision and reached for it.

Severus waited until he heard the door close behind them but did not turn to watch them go. Then he sat heavily in Miss Gray's abandoned chair. He sighed. "Petunia's become more unpleasant over the years. She slammed the door in my face the instant she recognized me. And recognize me she did, certainly, by the look of horror on her face when she saw me." The corner of his mouth lifted, not quite a snarl. "She denied ever having heard the name Harry Potter, and when her son opened his fat mouth – I mean it, he resembles a pig as much as his mother resembles a horse - when he opened his mouth she sent him to the kitchen, telling him he'd find cake on the counter. By that time we'd at least made it into the hallway. Petunia seemed afraid the neighbours might see me." The corner of his mouth lifted again, this time in wry amusement. "I eventually found the boy, asleep in a cupboard under the stairs on a flimsy mattress. I'm fairly certain he lived there. He was too exhausted – garden work by the stains on his hands – to react much, so I had to lift him from his cot. He's dreadfully thin. I could have counted his ribs through his shirt – which was several sizes too big – and he curled into a ball the moment I touched him. I know that move; he was unconsciously protecting himself from blows. I left then, though not without promising another visit. I didn't tell her that I intend to return with reinforcement. Preferably of the official kind, and you, Headmaster." He smiled fully now, though the expression held a marked lack of amusement.

Dumbledore was silent for a long time, and then he sighed deeply. One of his hands had disappeared from sight at some point. Severus thought he was probably clenching and unclenching it in anger. The old man did not often show his true emotions – he could be in a right temper and no one would know the twinkle in his eyes for anything but humour. That Severus even knew these gestures existed was a show of great trust. That Dumbledore was making them was a show of great anger.

"Well, I believe Miss Gray would be glad to keep an eye on Mr. Potter, at least until she leaves in two weeks. She seemed quite protective of him. I wonder…" he trailed off, watching Fawkes preen his feathers.

"Headmaster!" Severus said sharply (he'd learned that tone from McGonagall, though he'd never admit it) and Dumbledore smiled gently.

"After Miss Gray has left, the child will stay at the castle. He's safe here and it will probably do him good to get some rest and freedom. And I suppose your presence might be beneficial. I do believe he sees you as his saviour."

It took an effort to keep his mouth from falling open. He, Severus Snape, Potter's saviour. The idea was preposterous, like saying the Dark Lord wore pink bunny slippers, or like saying Dumbledore practiced dark magic, or- He froze, thinking of all the impossible things in his life. The idea seemed as ridiculous as Severus loving Lily. He frowned and wondered how it was that Dumbledore always managed to make the most outrageous notions seem about as strange as red-haired Weasleys (he'd met that family several times. They seemed to multiply between meetings).

Dumbledore was nodding. "Yes, that should work just fine. I'll have the house elves prepare one of the guest rooms near the hospital wing. Young Mr. Potter should be comfortable there until we can find a more permanent solution." He turned back to Severus. "Spend some time with him. Talk to him. Out of all the staff here you're the most likely to understand him, and treat him accordingly. Not to mention that your…coolness will probably be a welcome relief from the others' attitudes." It was official. Dumbledore had finally gone insane. Perhaps he should alert McGonagall… "First though, we must wait for Poppy's report." Severus nodded. He feared what the report would say.


	6. Welcome to Hogwarts

**AN: **HAPPY NEW YEAR!**  
**New record length for this chapter: 2383 words without title and author's note. Let's hope I can keep this up!  
There's still a bunch of mysteries to be solved and a lot of (plot-)ground left to cover but I've gotten some major problems out of the way. Hope you enjoy!  
Love, Annabeth

**Welcome to Hogwarts**

Harry was silent on the way to the hospital wing but he didn't let go of Betty's hand. He was tiny and terribly thin.

From her research earlier in the year Betty knew that neither of Harry's parents had been short. James was at least equal to Snape in height, and Snape was not a small man. Lily was only a hand or two shorter. Betty hadn't managed to find pictures of the Evanses, but James' father was even taller than James and his mother about Lily's height.

Betty glanced down. She had never seen a child nearly four years of age that thin. Harry didn't seem to have any baby fat; Betty had only managed to get rid of hers a few years ago.

And then there was the note burning a hole in her pocket. She'd read the damn thing on the moving staircase and had continued staring at it until Harry had squeezed her hand suddenly.

_Please ask Madame Pomfrey to perform a full examination on Mr Potter._

_Ask her specifically to look for __any__ signs of abuse._

_The report should be sent directly to my office._

_Thank you._

_A. D._

Betty didn't even want to think about what some people would do to a child. She hoped for Harry's sake and hers that Madame Pomfrey would not find anything beyond malnourishment. She shivered.

Harry gave her a questioning look and she smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

Then she stopped. They had arrived.

* * *

The hospital wing was blessedly empty. It really wouldn't do for a student to see Harry. Betty thanked Lady Luck for the sunny day. She was fairly certain that she was the only student inside at the moment.

Before she could call out the door of Madame Pomfrey's office opened and the matron came out, quietly humming. Betty thought the tune sounded vaguely familiar but she couldn't quite place it.

"Madame Pomfrey! Good afternoon." She started then turned a stern look on Betty.

"Annabeth Gray. What are you-" she had noticed the boy holding Betty's hand. "Well, and who are you?"

"This is Harry Potter. Harry, this is Madame Pomfrey. She's the school nurse." Betty winked at him with a smile. "I once cut off the tip of my finger by accident and she reattached it within minutes. Didn't even leave a scar." She showed him her left index finger. Madam Pomfrey shook her head fondly. Betty had been here more than once; she wasn't clumsy as such (meaning only that she didn't trip every three steps) but she'd often managed to injure herself by not paying attention. Luckily, a concussion had been the worst of it.

Harry smiled tentatively and Betty let her hand fall back to her side. The rustle of paper as her hand brushed her pocket made her straighten up and hand the note to Madame Pomfrey solemnly. "Professor Dumbledore asked me to show you this." The matron wouldn't mind the minor lie once she saw the contents of the note. Betty really didn't want Harry to hear what it said.

Madame Pomfrey looked from the note to Betty to Harry, and then she made him sit on one of the beds and offered him a piece of chocolate. He closed his eyes and a blissful expression stole over the small pale face at the first taste. Madame Pomfrey took the opportunity to wave her wand over him. She frowned.

Under the cover of loud shouting outside Betty quietly told Madame Pomfrey, "Professor Snape was the one who brought him here. Dumbledore had only sent him to check on Harry and he returned carrying him." The matron shot her an incredulous look but the expression on Betty's face appeared to convince her of the truth of the statement. She nodded.

"Well then, Mr. Potter, when did you last eat?"

Harry's eyes snapped open and he glanced between the two women warily. Betty smiled reassuringly. "This morning."

Madame Pomfrey nodded. "I shall send for supper then." She turned back to her office. At the door she stopped and looked back at them. "You may leave. Mr. Potter, you should take a bath. Return when you're clean." Then she was gone.

Betty's smile had frozen on her face. Harry watched her cautiously as they walked, still nibbling his chocolate. Good God, the child hadn't eaten for about ten hours. It was a school day, morning would have been at around seven. Betty glanced at her watch. It was past 5 pm now. Well, no help for it. Madame Pomfrey would have supper ready once they returned to the hospital wing.

Taking Harry to the Prefects' bathroom and getting him clean to satisfy Madam Pomfrey was a much more immediate concern. "Squeaky-clean." Betty told the fourth door to the left of Boris the Bewildered.

She shooed Harry inside first and made sure to lock the door behind them. His mouth and eyes were wide open as he looked around the room. Betty snorted. She'd reacted much the same way when she'd first come here. Joanne, the female prefect of their year, had shown her only this year.

Persuading Harry to undress proved to be a bit of a challenge; Betty had to turn her back and wait until Harry was safely up to his neck in bubbles.

While he enjoyed the hot water and played with the bubbles Betty decided to take a closer look at his clothes. Magic had been used on them recently. She could feel it in her fingertips where she touched the cloth (a useful and luckily learnable skill that had taken her years to acquire. It still took a lot of focus). Whatever magic had been used on these clothes had not improved their fashionableness. Transfiguration might help here. Buying new clothes was definitely the best option but this was only a temporary solution after all.

By the time Harry left the tub (this time without making Betty turn her back) the shirt had gone from muddy brown and shapeless to your average dark blue t-shirt, the trousers from washed out grey to blue jeans. Betty mentally thanked Raphaela for that phase when she'd refused to wear anything but boys' clothes. Little girls' jeans were very different from little boys' jeans, and if they said "write what you know" Betty thought the same thing went for transfiguring things.

She watched him dress, moving gingerly as though he expected the clothes to return to their original ugliness at any moment. He kept shooting her looks; questioning, awed, wary. It was easier to count the spots that weren't covered in bruises than the ones that were. They were in various stages of healing, though the ones on his ribs looked pretty fresh. The green bruise on Harry's upper arm was hand-shaped, as if someone had squeezed it very hard.

* * *

They were already halfway back to the hospital wing when Betty saw Harry shiver and wrap his arms around himself. "Are you cold? Oh my, your hair's still wet. Hold still for a moment."

She waved her wand at him and his hair began to steam and dry. She waved her wand again, making the air around the two of them warm up. The cold absorbed into the stone during the winter was welcome when you came in from the hot sun, but to a small child in thin clothes who was very hungry (Harry's stomach growled, as though it were agreeing) and probably exhausted, the cold was just that.

Betty was three steps ahead before she realized Harry hadn't moved. He was staring at her, open-mouthed. "Well, come on. Madame Pomfrey is waiting for us." She gestured for him to follow her but Harry didn't move.

"How did you do that?"

_Uh oh._ She hadn't expected that she'd ever have to explain magic. Until she'd received her Hogwarts letter magic had been the stuff of fairytales, generally used by evil witches (Aunt Jessie had slipped up a few times and replaced the w with a b. Mum and Dad had NOT been amused). The Grays had regarded the Letter as a joke. Until they'd been visited by Mrs. Carter, who had explained and demonstrated the existence of magic and Diagon Alley.

After that, magic had become a part of her, like her dark hair or her favourite colour (purple) or the little scar on her right thigh.

And now this little kid wanted her to explain. Well, she'd do her best.

"That was magic. I'm a witch, and this is Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. The man who brought you here is Professor Snape. He teaches Potions. The man with the long white hair and beard is Headmaster Dumbledore. They and Madame Pomfrey and the students and the other teachers are all witches and wizards. And so are you, unless I'm very much mistaken." She wasn't. The kid was practically leaking magic.

He still wasn't moving and his eyes were big as saucers, though his mouth was shut now. Betty sighed and reached for his hand.

They did not speak again until they reached the hospital wing.

There were voices inside. Betty couldn't make out what they were saying but she recognized Snape and Madame Pomfrey. When she opened the door she saw Dumbledore was with them.

They went quiet the instant they realized they weren't alone. _Ugh, awkward much?_ "We're back." Betty said, unnecessarily. Then she saw the tray beside one of the beds. "Look, the food's here." She tugged Harry forward. "You need to eat."

The tension relaxed a bit and the adults continued their conversation, though the topic had turned to the summer. _That or they're just talking in code._

* * *

Severus wasn't taking part in the others' small-talk, instead watching Potter and Miss Gray. The child still showed some fear toward anyone bigger than him, likely would for some time yet, but he at least seemed willing to trust Miss Gray.

He called her 'ma'am' until she laughed and told him to call her Betty, adding that she wasn't even an adult so there was no need for such formality.

Severus knew for a fact that wasn't true. She'd turned seventeen that January, her birthday was a mere two days before his own, which was the main reason he'd remembered it at all. The other being that her friend Turner had seen fit to announce the fact in the Great Hall at breakfast. It had been a while since he'd seen anyone turn quite that red.

Now, though there didn't seem to be any immaturity in her. She didn't push Potter, just answered his questions, even unasked as they were. She showed him bits of magic; in fact she was changing her shirt's colour from deep purple to bright green to scarlet with pink hearts back to purple. Come to think of it, she'd obviously transfigured Potter's clothes from the shapeless lumps they'd been when Severus found him. And he had to admit, she'd done a decent job.

The sound of his name made him turn away from the pair. Dumbledore and Pomfrey were studying a scroll of parchment held in her hands. He came to stand beside her, noticing that it was the medical file for a Mister Potter, Harry James. _Humph._ There were several extra sheets attached.

The first sheet, with St. Mungo's crest at the top, was a birth certificate. Severus skimmed over most of it; father, mother, place, date and time- Huh, the boy had been born at midnight. That was interesting.

The next sheet was a record of regular check-ups for the months after birth. According to this Potter was a strong healthy child, on the upper scale of average weight and height. Severus glanced at the child in question. Obviously no one had bothered to confirm the continuation of that state.

There were a number of other not at all interesting documents but the parchment Dumbledore and Pomfrey were reading so intently was Pomfrey's own preliminary report.

_Great Merlin!_ The child was badly malnourished, too small and too light for his age, several of his bones had been broken at some point, he was covered in bruises, and his eyesight alone was cause for alarm. _It isn't like living in the dark gives one eyes like a hawk, and Potter probably inherited his father's eyesight along with his hair. I must say, I rather pity the child._

He'd been right to fear reading this report, and he did not intend to find out whatever Pomfrey's deeper scans might reveal.

He shivered, thinking of the tiny cupboard and the filthy mattress and the huge clothes.

Petunia's son on the other hand, was obviously overweight and spoiled rotten. Severus wouldn't be surprised if he was the cause of some of Potter's healed breaks. Best bring that up with Dumbledore, along with a hint that perhaps that one would be better off with foster parents.

A strange noise startled him from his contemplation of revenge and he turned back to Potter and Miss Gray.

The girl was smiling and the child's face was flushed. The noise seemed to have come from him. As he watched Miss Gray said something and the noise repeated itself. It took a moment but then he realized that Potter was giggling.

Well, she'd just earned his respect. There was a fair number of abused children at Hogwarts, Slytherin especially, and he'd never heard of anyone who'd managed to make one of them laugh on the first day of acquaintance. That girl was certainly gifted.

The thought struck him like a freight train. Potter liked and trusted her. If she left now, the boy would heal but it was unlikely that he would ever trust another adult the way he trusted Miss Gray. Not to mention that the boy might assume responsibility for her leaving, thinking he'd driven her away.

No, that mustn't happen. Someone must take the child to visit her during the summer. Constant contact would be preferable at this stage but that couldn't be helped, there was no way the boy could spend the summer with her nor could she stay at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore could surely find a solution, Severus would tell him of his thoughts. Just as long as they could get Miss Gray to agree.


	7. You'll be in my Heart

**You'll Be In My Heart**

Betty visited Harry daily over the next week. He seemed happier every time and he wasn't quite as pale any longer. He even began to talk on the second day.

She'd brought him things to play with; a stuffed tiger, blank paper and colour pencils (borrowed from a very nice second year named Bill Weasley), three of Raphaela's picture books (she had no idea why those were in her trunk), and a small rubber ball (which Madame Pomfrey detested). She taught him how to fold paper planes and then charmed them to fly around the room so Harry could try to catch them. She taught him games like hide-and-seek and tag, and let him win more often than not.

All in all it was a wonderful week.

Unfortunately all good things must come to an end.

It was Saturday June 23, a beautiful sunny afternoon and Betty and Harry were sitting quietly side by side, he drawing, she reading, when his voice shattered the silence. "Why do Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon say I'm a freak?"

_Well, fuck._ That child could really turn the world upside down without even trying. He'd managed to get Betty to swear (not out loud, but still), which was quite the feat, with a terribly loaded question delivered in a tone of innocent curiosity.

Betty thought that might warrant swearing. Especially since she had no way of answering.

"I don't know, Harry. But I know they're wrong. You're maybe just a bit different and they don't like it." She shrugged. "I like you, though, and I think being different is a good thing. Just imagine if everybody were the same, the whole world would be boring."

"Okay, thanks." Then he returned to drawing.

* * *

Of course, Betty couldn't get their conversation out of her mind. That evening after supper Mike and Joanne cornered her to find out what was bothering her.

She told them she had to write to her parents and would not say another word.

It was even the truth but the reasons were quite different. Betty wanted to tell her parents what had happened in the past few days.

They might have advice for her, but more importantly, she had to tell _someone_. A diary might do the trick but Betty had never owned such a thing. Letters to her parents were much better anyway, if only because diaries couldn't answer.

By the time Wednesday came around she'd been waiting for three days for a letter from her parents, and her visits to Harry had become a rather gloomy affair. Her trunk was packed, her friends were looking forward to home and Betty was hoping the summer would pass quickly.

Therefore it was with great surprise that she followed Bill Weasley to the portrait hole where Snape was waiting for her. "What's wrong, Professor? Is it Harry? Has something happened to my parents?" She asked, trying to keep up with Snape's longer strides. Short legs had their downsides.

"Nothing has happened, Miss Gray." He sounded almost polite. "Yet." He added under his breath. Not polite then.

She huffed, but did not speak until they reached the gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office. "What-" but Snape cut her off.

"Cockroach Clusters." Snape stepped on the staircase but Betty didn't move. "Come along now, they're waiting."

She huffed again and followed him.

'They' turned out to be Betty's parents and cousin. Raphaela hugged her enthusiastically; nearly cutting off Betty's air supply, Mum kissed her cheek and Dad the top of her head. She held onto them in a kind of group hug, savouring the way it made her feel. She inhaled deeply gripping her parents shoulders tighter. Mum still smelled like books and ink, Dad smelled like a hospital and aftershave, Raphaela smelled of chocolate and snow. Together they smelled like home, all that was missing was Adso the cat winding himself around her legs, purring loudly.

Someone coughed behind Betty and she reluctantly let her parents go. Raphaela continued clinging to Betty.

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling like blue stars; Betty couldn't decipher the expression on Snape's face. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, but what are you doing here?"

"We're going on vacation! We'll see Granny and Grandpa and Auntie Barbara and Uncle Josh and Nellie and Julie and Maggie! It's going to be sooooo much fun!" Raphaela was flushed now and Mama and Daddy were smiling.

"Ah," was all Betty could think to say. "Wait, you mean we're going _now_?" Mama nodded and Raphaela giggled. Daddy watched them with a faint smile. She bit her lip, thinking fast. Her trunk was packed, that was no problem. She'd have to say goodbye to her friends. And Harry still had Raphaela's-

Harry. Betty couldn't leave now. He'd only just begun to trust her, more than anyone else. She bit her lip harder and nearly drew blood.

With a deep breath she gently pushed her cousin off her lap. "I have to get my things and say goodbye to my friends. Give me an hour?" Mama and Daddy exchanged glances then looked at Dumbledore. He smiled, twinkling, and Betty's parents nodded at her.

Snape followed her as she left. She ignored him until they had nearly reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Did you want something, Professor?" She stopped but made no move to enter the Gryffindor common room.

"I wish to know two things. First, will you continue your acquaintance with Mr. Potter or do you intend to forget him?" Betty's mouth dropped open a little.

"How could you-" She cut herself off, breathed in deep. "I cannot refuse my family. They'll likely keep me for the whole summer, but I will write to Harry. I'd visit him if I could, or invite him to visit me."

Snape nodded, evidently satisfied with her answer. "I see. The second thing concerns Lily and James Potter, or to be more accurate the… Shadows you have seen around Mr. Potter. You have not explained what you make of them. I cannot help but wonder." He raised an eyebrow in question.

"I'm not certain what they are, though I have a theory. They are not the actual persons, in the way ghost are. I think they exist to guard Harry from what harm they can. Both of them died for their son, these might be manifestations of that sacrifice. They must have some relation to ordinary shadows, though, or I could not see them." She added, glancing behind Snape at Shadow-Lily. He half-turned then shook himself and shot Betty a glare.

"I shall wait for you here and escort you to Mr. Potter's quarters."

And with that the conversation was over.

* * *

Harry was disconcertingly calm when Betty told him she had to leave. He nodded through her assurances that she would write to him and expected decent answers, and that she would come back on September 1st.

He said goodbye very politely and walked her to the door, like a miniature gentleman.

She smiled at him and turned to the door. She heard something like a gasp behind her and whirled on her heels, school robe flying and engulfed Harry in her arms. "I'll miss you, my little one," she whispered in his ear, using her father's nickname for her. "I'll think of you and I'll count the days until I can come back. Don't forget me. Don't think I'll forget you." She tightened her arms heard his breath catch. Then she pushed away so she could look at him. "I'll write as soon as I get there. And you'll write back. Promise me." Harry nodded and managed a tiny smile. Betty smiled back and kissed both his cheeks. Then she got up and left, throwing Harry a last smile through the closing door.

* * *

That evening when Harry went to bed, cuddling his stuffed tiger, he found a parcel beneath the pillow. The card attached said in spidery handwriting:

_From Miss Gray to Mr. Potter_

Harry opened it carefully and found something large and soft, smelling of grass and dust and laughter. He shook it out and couldn't help the smile that spread on his face. The smile widened when he found a piece of parchment tumbling out onto his lap.

Now grinning, Harry pulled the large sweater over his head, inhaling deeply. He fell asleep clutching the parchment and the stuffed tiger, still smiling.

_I borrowed your scarf and left my favourite sweater in its stead.  
Love, Betty_

Three days later the first letter arrived.

**

* * *

AN:** So, what shall I do with Harry come September? Disguise him as Madame Pomfrey's nephew? Hide him in the school? Send him to live elsewhere? Have him go to kindergarten?  
Vote on my profile!  
Thanks and love, Annabeth


	8. An Exchange of Letters

**An Exchange of Letters**

_June 28, 1984_

_Dear Harry,_

_I have arrived safely. Hope you're fine. I'll write again soon._

_Love_

_Betty_

_

* * *

July 9, 1984_

_Dear Harry,_

_How've you been? I'm fine, but very bored. My cousins talk of nothing but dolls and dresses and I would much rather tell you about Quidditch, to teach you to fly, to show you what magic can do. I suppose anyone can do those things with you but I wish it could be me.  
I miss you so much, my little one. I wish the summer would pass faster so I can return to Hogwarts and see you again.  
The weather here is too hot. My grandparents are glad, I'm merely uncomfortable.  
I send along a little gift, I hope you like it._

_Love  
Betty_

_

* * *

July 11, 1984_

_Dear Betty,_

_I can't write well yet so Madame Pomfrey is helping me.  
Thank you so much for your letter, I was afraid you'd forgotten me. I miss you, too.  
I hope you're having fun with your family. It's warm here, too. Professor Snape has been teaching me to swim (I think the Headmaster told him to), so I don't get too hot.  
The Headmaster says time will fly by and you'll be back real fast. I think he might be wrong, though the teachers believe him (some of them think it's outrageous but I don't know what they mean)._

_Harry_

_PS: Thank you SO much for the t-shirt. Professor Snape laughed when he saw it but he wouldn't tell me why. Could you please explain?_

_

* * *

July 16, 1984_

_Dear Harry,_

_I'm sorry I've taken so long to reply. Mama made me come along on a camping trip. Sissi (my owl) only found me today. Don't expect to hear from me again until I return to civilization on the 20__th__.  
I'll be thinking of you._

_Love_

_Betty_

_PS: There's a joke written on the t-shirt. Professor Snape laughed because he understood it. When I come back I'll explain it to you._

_

* * *

July 18, 1984_

_Dear Betty,_

_Professor Snape says he knew my mother! He's told me some stories of her, from when they were kids. I never even knew their names. I'm so glad. The Professor seemed sad though. I wish I could make it better. I asked him about the joke on my t-shirt but he won't say anything. He did say to greet you from him.  
Madam Hooch left yesterday. She's visiting friends in America. Professor Dumbledore showed me where that is on a huge map in his office. There's SO much water on the earth.  
My aunt and uncle took Dudley on a camping trip once. I had to stay at Mrs Figg's for five days. I don't think they had much fun and they never went again. I hope it's better for you.  
Why did you name your owl Sissi? That's not a nice thing to call someone._

_Love_

_Harry_

_

* * *

July 21, 1984_

_Dear Harry,_

_My camping trip wasn't too bad. Mama, Daddy and Uncle Josh were telling stories every evening around the fire. Some were scary, some were embarrassing (the ones about me as a baby) and some were very funny. My cousins and I had a mud fight the day after I wrote you last. We had to wash in a stream afterwards. That was COLD!  
One day I'll take you on a camping trip. Then I'll show all the fun things you can do and I'll tell you all the stories I know. I promise.  
I'm glad you know a bit about your parents now. You could ask the other teachers about them. I'm sure they can tell you some.  
Sissi was an Austrian queen. She's famous here. Her name was actually Elizabeth but I liked the short form better.  
I miss you._

_Love_

_Betty_

_

* * *

July 24, 1984_

_Dear Betty,_

_You were right. Professor McGonagall told me about some of the pranks my dad and his friends played when they were in school. She sent me to Hagrid when I asked where dad's friends are now. But that's okay, since Hagrid told when my mum and dad fell in love. And he showed me a unicorn that was standing at the edge of the forest. It even let me touch its horn!  
Madame Pomfrey is really excited about something, and so are Hagrid and Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster but no one will tell me what it is, not even Professor Snape.  
Please tell me more about Sissi. The queen, not the owl.  
I miss you, too._

_Love_

_Harry_

_

* * *

July 26, 1984_

_Dear Professor Dumbledore,_

_I was just listening to my cousins' chatter about Christmas presents (strange to be discussing such things in July, but to each their own, I suppose…) and I was reminded that Harry's birthday is only a few days from now. I was hoping to invite him to my home to celebrate. Perhaps even have a little sleepover.  
Before I ask Harry though, I have to ask your permission. (In hopes of persuading you to agree, I would like to add that my seventeenth birthday was on January 7__th__. I'm therefore perfectly capable of protecting Harry Potter, not to mention, even if someone suspected him to be in a Muggle home with no one he's related to, I have considerable skill with illusions.)_

_Sincerely,  
Annabeth Gray_

_PS: My cousin Raphaela, who lives with my family asked to meet Harry. Apparently I talk about him rather a lot and she wants to see what kind of person has the ability to catch my interest in such a way. I've promised to introduce them if he comes to visit._

_

* * *

July 27, 1984_

_Dear Miss Gray,_

_I would like to suggest you visit Hogwarts on the 31__st__. Hagrid, Madame Pomfrey, Professor Snape and myself would like to attend young Mister Potter's birthday celebrations.  
You will arrive by Floo in "Hogwarts, Headmaster's office". Should you not have access to a fireplace connected to the network, I suggest you Apparate to Hogsmeade and walk to the school from there.  
You may bring your cousin along.  
Further visits can be discussed during your stay._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_

* * *

July 27, 1984_

_Professor Dumbledore,_

_Raphaela and I will be there. Could you make it a surprise for Harry? Thank you.  
I have to pack. Thank you so much for letting us come._

_Annabeth Gray_

_

* * *

_**AN:** Well, this is my last update for the time being. I have another one-and-a-half chapter finished (for the most part anyway) but for everything to work out I need your opinions.

**So, please go to my profile and place you vote!**

Hope to hear from you soon.

Love, Annabeth

PS: I will eventually update anyway, but I'd feel much better and it would be much quicker if many people vote. Thank you!


	9. A Happy Birthday

**A Happy Birthday**

Severus entered the room quietly, looking around. He nearly didn't see Potter, sitting curled up on the window ledge, watching the giant squid's lazy movements in the lake.

The boy did not seem to be aware that it was his birthday and of course he had no idea Miss Gray and her cousin were coming to visit. No matter, he was here for a reason. "Mr. Potter." The boy jerked, nearly falling off the ledge. "Come with me. We're expected in the Headmaster's office."

They did not speak while they walked, they did not need to. Severus knew Potter was lonely, in a way he had probably never been before. He'd had a taste of what having a friend felt like and now he felt abandoned. Severus would have a word with Miss Gray about that.

At the top of the staircase Severus opened the door to Dumbledore's office without being invited and let Potter pass. The boy glanced around the room and stopped dead two steps in. Severus gave him a little push, stepped in and closed the door behind himself.

Miss Gray turned and caught sight of Potter, breaking out into a radiant smile. "Harry! I'm so glad to see you!" They embraced tightly for a few seconds, then she pulled away, half-turning and beckoning to a girl, not yet ten years old. "Harry, this is my cousin Raphaela. Ellie, this is Harry." The girl shook Potter's hand enthusiastically, grinning.

Miss Gray got to her feet and took hold of the boy's other hand, and together the two girls pulled him to the large table that had replaced the Headmaster's desk. There was an illusion covering whatever was on the table, but Severus was certain there was a birthday cake and maybe some presents.

He watched as the boy blew out all the candles at once and the blissful look on his face at the first taste of his first birthday cake. When everyone had finished their piece, Miss Gray began handing Potter presents.

* * *

Harry was grinning. A real, happy, ear-to-ear, face-splitting grin. Betty reached over to wipe away the chocolate around the edges of that grin.

She'd brought real Austrian Sachertorte with her for Harry's birthday. He'd developed a great fondness for chocolate since that first taste in the infirmary the day Snape had rescued him, it was common knowledge that Dumbledore liked all sweets, and Betty had observed Snape surreptitiously enjoying a second helping of chocolate pudding every now and then.

When everyone had finished their piece of cake it was time for Harry to start opening presents.

The first was from Madame Pomfrey; a roll of Unending Parchment and a box of crayons.

From Professor McGonagall he received a child's broom, which got only a horrified look from Harry until Snape rolled his eyes and told the little boy it was for flying, not sweeping.

Dumbledore gave him a box of sweets and two framed photographs. The first was of Lily and James Potter's wedding, and the second had obviously been taken the day of Harry's birth, the new parents staring in wonder at the tiny red-faced baby in Lily's arms.

Betty and Raphaela led Harry to a large gift-wrapped square, which contained nothing but a plain wooden box. At Harry's questioning look, Raphaela explained that it was a box to keep his toys in, and that she had one just like it. He was very happy to hear that he was allowed to draw or paint on it whatever he wanted.

Snape's gift was a blank leather-bound book, which, as he said, Harry could use to write his thoughts in. It was even charmed to open only at Harry's touch.

It was only after all these had been opened that Betty saw a small package in a plain white envelope. There was nothing on it to indicate the sender, so Betty checked it for hostile magic and dangerous substances. It was clean.

Harry pulled out a stack of pictures. They showed his parents; together, separate, with friends. There were more of Lily, though; especially childhood pictures. In one of them a young Lily was staring intently at the cauldron before her, red hair frizzing around her shoulders. There was someone sitting beside her, face hidden by a curtain of greasy black hair.

Betty looked at Snape and was startled to see him vanish through the door in a flurry of black robes. She glanced back at the others, and catching Dumbledore's eye, followed.

She caught him up at the bottom of the spiral staircase but didn't get the chance to speak, since he set off immediately in the direction of the nearest tower.

This was obviously one of the parts of the school no longer in use, though everything was spotless; owing to the house-elves (Betty had met one of these visiting a friend from a magical family. Strange creatures).

Betty was breathing hard when Snape finally stopped on the platform at the top of the tower. He let her catch her breath, then said, "Mr. Potter has been quite miserable these last few days. He thought you had forgotten him."

"And I'm very sorry for that. At first I didn't reply to his last letter because I didn't want to get his hopes up about my visit. When Professor Dumbledore invited me I decided to make it a surprise. I completely forgot to take Harry's likely reaction into consideration. But I'm here now, of my own initiative, and that's what counts." Snape was still scowling but the hard lines around his eyes had relaxed a bit, and it was only his usual expression. Which, Betty thought, was likely either habit or a defence mechanism. "You know, while I was in Austria Gran got out the photo albums." She waited, but Snape had no visible reaction to this. "And she started showing around pictures of myself and all my cousins when we were born, on our first birthdays, first day of kindergarten, first day of school, that kind of thing. And I had a marvellous idea. In September Harry could go to kindergarten or a day-care. He'd meet children his age, other friendly adults, and he can play and learn at his own pace in a friendly environment. I think it might do him good." She hesitated, then went on despite her doubts (_and your own selfish desires_, whispered her mind). "And it would take him off our hands. We'll all have school, me as student, you and Professor McGonagall as teachers, Dumbledore will likely be busy as well. Madame Pomfrey is the most likely to have the time to take care of Harry, but I know from experience that students are always hurting themselves. The students can't see him or talk to him because they'd immediately know who he is. The ones who wouldn't worship him would likely try to kill him. But in a Muggle kindergarten…"

"And where would he live, Miss Gray?"

"Here of course, sir. He could travel by Floo. An adult would have to go with him the first few times but it should work."

"I see." Snape was still looking highly sceptical.

Betty squirmed a bit. "I had my mother ask around a bit at the school where she works. She teaches history and geography, you know. Andrew Tilmann Memorial School is really wonderful; the children start there when they're three or four in the kindergarten, start in elementary school when they're about six and go to school until they're finished. I went there, too, but of course then I got my acceptance letter from Hogwarts…" She shook her head slightly, so as not to lose herself in memories. "Anyway. My kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Flowers still works there, and she told Mama that two children – twins, a boy and a girl – had moved away unexpectedly so they've got free places. Also, she's got a wizard son. Jason Flowers, Hufflepuff, left four years ago, but he was born in October so he's really almost five years older than I am. He told her when I got sorted into Gryffindor. She called at my house the next day to congratulate me. So, if I told her some of the basics she'd know how to treat Harry. And the best part is that she doesn't know anything about the war except that an evil wizard nicknamed He who must not be named was defeated by the boy-who-lived. That's all her son told her. Probably wanted to protect her. She can't tell what she doesn't know, after all."

Snape was still watching her critically but his face had lost all traces of a scowl, which for him, was about the equivalent of a smile in most people. "I see." He said again. "We shall see what the Headmaster thinks of this. Then we'll ask Mr. Potter. And _then_ we'll take a look at this place."

* * *

Later Betty gave Harry and Ellie a tour of Gryffindor tower (she had to carry Harry up the stairs to the girls' dorm), the Great Hall (both children were in awe when they saw the ceiling) and the Quidditch Pitch (which Ellie immediately declared her favourite place of Hogwarts, while Harry tested his new broom). By the time they had finished that it was nearly six pm, and they were all tired but happy.

Joking and laughing the three trooped back to Harry's rooms to rest a bit before supper.

There was a second party with all the staff staying at Hogwarts over the summer. Together they all sang 'Happy Birthday' some less on key than others, and Hagrid blew his nose rather noisily afterward.

When Betty, Harry and Ellie began setting each other off yawning Madame Pomfrey offered to escort the girls to their rooms, which were just down the hall from the infirmary and Harry's rooms.

Betty was unbelievable grateful to get to bed; she and Ellie had arrived in Britain only that same morning and stopped only for a moment at home to leave their suitcases. Tonight's pyjamas would have to be transfigured.

Nevertheless, it had been a wonderful day. On the evening of July 31, 1984 Betty fell asleep smiling. It would not be the last time.


	10. Nine Lives

**AN:** I would like to dedicate this chapter to all my reviewers, matt-hardy-lover in particular. Thanks you so much for reading this story and telling me.

Much Love, Annabeth

**Nine Lives – September 1****st****, 1984**

Her seventh year began for Annabeth Gray the same as every previous one (excepting her first year, which had been extraordinary in nearly every way). She travelled from Platform 9¾ at King's Cross station to Hogsmeade on the Hogwarts Express where she and her fellow students were taken to the school gates in carriages that moved of their own volition (though Betty had seen a few students staring fearfully at the empty space before them).

Then they all waited in the Great Hall for the first year students to arrive by boat.

Betty sat through the waiting and the better part of the Sorting in silence, her thoughts half-way across the castle with a little boy named Harry who had sneaked into her heart while she was concentrating on his mental well-being. She was only briefly roused by Dumbledore's welcome speech, and the vaguely familiar name Weasley, before she returned to her musings.

It was the smell of chicken and rice, and the sound of familiar chatter that finally pushed Harry temporarily from her mind.

"So, Betty, how was your summer?" asked Joanne.

Betty swallowed a bite of chicken leg and answered, "Oh, it was fine." She grimaced. "My Canadian cousins were visiting Gran at the start of the summer, so of course, my parents and I had to go, too. That's why I left early. Anyway, once we got back it was wonderful. Cooler, too. Honestly, the summers down there are far too hot; I don't know how they stand it. What about you?" she asked in the general direction of her friends.

"My Dad took me to London for the Weird Sisters concert…" Bibi started jabbering away. Betty kept half an ear tuned to the conversation, so as not to be caught not listening.

She'd missed them, of course, but she missed Harry more. And she'd never had any reason to feel so over-protective toward any of them.

Betty sighed. Once he'd decided that he could trust them not to lock him up or force him to do chores, Harry had discovered his sense of adventure. In response Dumbledore had enlisted all the portraits and ghosts to keep an eye on the little fiend. He still managed to escape every now and then.

There were three ways to keep him in an area for longer than five minutes: tell him stories of his parents; show him magic; take him to the Quidditch pitch (there were two options for this situation: play with him or remove the safety charms which keep the broom near the ground. Betty had never been able to decide which was preferable; they were both terrifying).

She smiled into a glass of pumpkin juice. Harry's inability to sit still had not made the summer or the time they spent together less wonderful. He had even got Snape to smile a few times with his antics.

"BETTY!" Startled, she spilled the pumpkin juice down the front of her robes.

"Mike, you idiot! What is wrong with you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Me? I called your name five times before I shouted. Meanwhile you were making eyes at _Snape_." Betty felt heat pool in her cheeks, and suddenly realized that half her friends were watching her with a mixture of amusement and disgust. The other half were watching Snape viciously spear something on his plate.

"I wasn't–" she started, flushing more deeply.

"Betty's got a cru-ush!" crowed Pippin (whose full name was Peregrin. His parents were great fans of 'The Lord of the Rings', and he had a twin brother named Meriadoc in Hufflepuff).

"I do _not_ have a crush! I was thinking about someone else, and I wasn't looking at Snape. He was just in my line of sight." She huffed indignantly, crossing her arms.

Pippin didn't repeat himself but the look on his face (and on everyone else's faces, too) told her all she needed to know.

She was never going to live this down.

Many miles to the south a woman sat in her living room, ignoring her husband's ranting. His words had ceased to matter.

What mattered to Petunia Dursley was that her son was gone. Social Services had picked him up just this morning after breakfast without so much as a warning.

Vernon left the room but Petunia barely noticed. She was glad it was quiet now. He'd been going on about how it was all that freak child's fault, and she couldn't stand to hear anymore. She was fairly certain that neither Harry nor Lily could be blamed for this. Severus perhaps, but she was coming to see that he'd been right taking the boy from them. Though they had never pretended to be happy with his presence, the probably should have given him a proper bed, clothing and enough food.

Lily would have been horrified. Petunia winced. Worse, Mum would have been disgusted and Dad would have been disappointed.

But that was the damn point. _Would have been._ They couldn't feel any of those things anymore because they were all dead.

And Dudley… Perhaps she'd been over-indulgent. Not that admitting any fault on her part could improve the situation.

Petunia sat on her living room couch, back straight, staring at the photo-covered wall, and began to re-evaluate everything she'd known about the world.

Somewhat farther to the west a little boy was pretending to be a big scary dragon, and his mother shrieked laughingly and pretended to swoon on the carpet of his room.

Father wasn't here, wouldn't be home for nearly two weeks (which was a very a long time indeed for a four-year-old), and Mummy was laughing more and playing with Draco more freely than ever before. They traded off being the dragon (though Draco preferred being a hero and defeating the monster, rather than the fainting princess his mother favoured) and when his mother got tired they went outside, and Draco got to fly on the little broom he had received last Christmas, while Mummy wrote in a small blue book.

He shouted happily as he executed a swift turn around the roses, making his mother look up and smile. Life was good for Draco Malfoy.

Far to the north of Scotland, on a lonely island a thin black dog shivered as a Dementor passed its cell. Sirius had found it easier to sleep in his dog form, if only because it kept the nightmares at bay. He wasn't able to defend himself against the Dementors' influence while he slept in his human form.

The dog curled up tighter and dreamed of nothing. It was the best Sirius Black had got for a while.

The house was quiet. On any other day that would have been suspicious, but today was the first of September.

Dora had been torn between glee at finally going to Hogwarts, and fear at living without her parents. Glee had finally won, but Andromeda was certain homesickness would set in once her daughter had got over the initial excitement.

And then she'd most likely start getting letters about Dora's behaviour. Doubtless the complaints would vary from mischief to simple but dangerous clumsiness. Her Dora could find something to trip over in an empty room, and Andromeda was certain that she'd inherited cousin Sirius' talent for getting into trouble.

Well, perhaps she and Ted could celebrate having the house to themselves for once…

Charlie looked up from his plate at a shout of laughter further down the table. A group of older students had abandoned their food in favour of laughing at a very red-faced girl. Charlie was impressed. He didn't think he'd ever seen anyone turn that shade of red who wasn't related to him.

Except maybe for that girl he'd met on the train. He'd thought she was a boy until he heard another girl call her 'Dora'. She'd turned a spectacularly bright shade of red, and her hair had gone from blue-black to Weasley-red in seconds.

Mum had once told him about people who could change their appearance with a thought. She'd given it some long and unpronounceable name but Charlie thought shape-shifter much more fitting, as well as more easy to remember.

It was really too bad 'Dora' the shape-shifter had been sorted into Ravenclaw, but maybe they could be friends anyway.

Harry chewed on his lower lip, trying to decide whether he should wake her. He'd had nightmares before and Betty wasn't always there to soothe him afterwards, but he'd found that wrapping himself in the sweater she'd left him and cuddling his tiger tightly made him go right back to sleep. Not so tonight.

That was why he stood here, wearing a huge sweater, stuffed tiger under his arm, at the foot of Betty's bed, watching her sleep.

Finally he shrugged and climbed onto the bed beneath the blanket. Betty half-woke when he lay down beside her, mumbled something, drew him in her arms and went right back to sleep. Harry smiled drowsily and followed her lead.

Severus stabbed viciously at a broccoli. He looked up to glare at a group of loudly laughing Gryffindors, a red-faced Miss Gray among them.

He was in a foul mood. Potter had spent all of yesterday bouncing around excitedly while Severus and the other teachers attempted frantically to finish things that should have been done weeks ago. Not to mention the new DADA teacher who was almost as cheerful as Dumbledore, though he seemed at least competent. Then at night he'd barely slept, plagued with memories of August thirty-firsts spent impatiently awaiting the morning's departure to Hogwarts. This morning he'd nearly fallen asleep on his toast, and it was only a discreet nudge from Albus that had saved his face from being covered in raspberry jam.

He was very much looking forward to bed, once he'd settled the little monsters that called themselves children in their beds in Slytherin. Perhaps he'd take a potion to help him sleep tonight. It really would not do for him to be overtired on the first day of classes.

Grass rustled as the hunter moved forward. The prey snapped to alertness, twitched its nose and prepared to flee. The hunter struck.

The hare struggled futilely for a few moments before it died. Once she'd swallowed, Nagini let out a triumphant hiss, tasting the air in the process. Her master was near, apparently torn between amusement and jealousy.

She hissed again, affectionately this time. _"You shall catch your prey in time, master. He cannot run, cannot hide forever. He will step out from behind those who shelter him and you shall be there to strike him down. Have patience and all will be as you wish it."_

His spirit brushed her. _"You are, of course, correct, my dear. All will be as I wish it."_

**AN:** About the _Lord of the Ring_ reference; this particular pair of twins was originally to be named Luke (Gryffindor) and Leia (Hufflepuff). Then I discovered that Star Wars had not yet been created at the time of their birth and had to change my mind. Luckily, I watched LotR movies 1-3 for the first time just a few days after writing the first draft of this chapter, and another two days later I began to re-read the books, this time in English (as opposed to German when I was eleven or so).

Hope everyone enjoyed this little chappie!  
Please review!  
Love, Annabeth


	11. Of Nightmares and Midnight Excursions

**AN:** I am so very sorry this update is late. After a truly insane weekend I simply forgot and didn't remember until last night. As a result I'm afraid the next chapter will be late as well. i apologize.  
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!  
Love, Annabeth

**Of Nightmares and Midnight Excursions**

"So," Betty began. "What did you dream about last night that made you come to me?"

Harry hesitated, twirling the paint brush in his right hand. "At first I was in the cupboard, like always, but then I heard someone laughing. It was a man, but his voice was very high. And then a woman screamed. She screamed my name." Harry shivered and broke off. He looked at her. "I wouldn't have come because of a normal bad dream. But I was really afraid so I came to you."

She nodded. "I see. It's alright then. But tell me one thing; how did you get into Gryffindor tower, and the girls' dorm?"

Harry stared at her. "I went through the portrait of the Fat Lady and up the stairs. Like you showed me and Ellie on my birthday." Betty nodded, looking past him at the thing she'd begun to call Guardian Lily in her mind.

_Accidental Magic_, said a female voice somewhere on the edge of hearing, half-inside Betty's mind. She shivered a bit, but nodded.

Dumbledore would want to hear of this, as would Snape and Madame Pomfrey.

In a way, Betty would rather it hadn't happened at all, for any number of reasons. (One of which was waking up that morning to find Harry Potter curled half on to of her.)

But all of that could wait. Right now she and Harry were painting his toy box.

_

* * *

Finally._

Betty had begun to think Joanne and Daniel, the seventh year Gryffindor prefects, would never go to bed. As long as they were here she couldn't leave.

She left a charm on the portrait not to close completely before she continued on her way outside.

Only once she reached the Quidditch pitch did she take a deep breath of fresh air.

She sat on the grass, leaning against one of the goalposts and tried not to think about anything. She wasn't succeeding.

Well, she didn't have to worry about being discovered. However miserable she was when it came to Silencing and Disillusionment charms, Betty had great talent for making people see things that weren't there. Like the image of a sleeping Betty, up in her bed in Gryffindor tower. No one would know the difference unless they touched it.

And now she got to the topic she'd been trying to avoid all day. Harry.

Betty wasn't certain exactly what he'd dreamed about last night, but she could guess. And she feared she was right, especially if the unusually bright red of his scar was anything to go by.

He was remembering what had happened on Halloween 1981.

She'd gone to Dumbledore after classes were over. He'd nodded sagely and offered her a lemon drop, and Betty thought she'd seen his other hand clench into a fist but he'd not shown any concern.

She'd gone to Snape next, because she thought he should know, and besides, Betty was sure he knew things Dumbledore did not. Dark magic, and the way you-know-who thought for instance. Snape's left arm had twitched and, while he'd not shown any more emotion than Dumbledore, he'd at least offered to keep a closer eye on Harry.

Then she'd gone to the hospital wing, helping Madame Pomfrey and working out what to tell her and what to keep to herself. In the end she only said Harry had a nightmare and she wanted to know how to prevent such a thing from happening again. Madame Pomfrey had given her a searching look and taught her a charm which seemed to Betty like cross between the machines Muggles used to monitor a patient's condition and a baby monitor. If Harry had a nightmare, it would tell her.

Maybe she should fly, just for a while, until she calmed down. Betty had always liked flying. She never went very high, nor very fast. She didn't do tricks and she never took her hands off the broom handle. But flying felt like freedom; carefree and far away, with no connection to the world at large, with all the problems and worries that came with living in it.

Yes, she'd fly. Just for a little while.

* * *

Severus cursed silently to himself as he walked toward the Quidditch pitch. It had already been after midnight and he'd been about to finish his rounds and go to bed when he looked out a window and saw a lone figure flying around the pitch.

Some stupid Quidditch-mad child had apparently decided that the rules didn't apply to him. _A Gryffindor, no doubt. They are reckless and arrogant. _He thought bitterly. _Well, I shall teach this one better._

The figure landed just as Severus reached the edge of the pitch. He stopped, surprised to hear quiet singing. This wasn't a boy, as he had originally assumed. It was a girl, singing to herself a song Severus didn't recognize, though going by the words, it was a German nursery rhyme.

The girl lifted her hand to comb through her hair in a familiar gesture. He had seen Miss Gray do that often enough over the summer that he knew it meant she was troubled. _Dammit. Why must it be her I meet tonight?_

He knew what troubled her, of course. Her restless fidgeting as she told him of Potter's nightmare and subsequent visit to her bed had told him everything he needed to know.

He stepped out from the shadows. "Miss Gray. How…unexpected to meet you out here at this hour."

The girl stopped short, hand still lifted. After a long moment her hand dropped to her side and she shouldered her broom. "Professor Snape. Good evening, sir." She walked toward him. "Shall we continue this discussion inside? I have a feeling you have much to say to me." She added dryly.

Severus bristled, drawing himself up tall. "I will not allow such disrespect, Miss Gray."

She nodded, reaching him and walking on, obviously expecting him to follow. "I apologize, sir."

They were silent on their way back to the castle. At the portrait of the Fat Lady he stopped and turned to her. "We will discuss this tomorrow. I will expect you to be at my office at five thirty. Good night, Miss Gray." He turned to leave in a swirl of black cloth.

* * *

Betty watched him until he turned the corner. "Good night, Professor Snape." she whispered, before finally going to bed.

* * *

Petunia fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes that night but her dreams were uneasy. She woke suddenly and Vernon's alarm clock told her it was nearly four am. Restless, she got up and went downstairs, made tea and decided on a whim to write a letter.

Only once the two pages were sealed in a white envelope did she feel ready to return to bed.

She'd send it that very day, as soon as Vernon left for work she would go to the post office and get that done before going shopping.


	12. The Make and Break of Friendship

**AN:** A longer one this time (2784 words at last count, without title or ANs), though it's late by a week. I struggled with it a lot, and you've my Mum to thank for that it gets posted at all. I'd be completely lost without her.  
Love, Annabeth

(1)Direct quote from _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone _(paperback), chapter 'Diagon Alley', page 80, last paragraph.

**The Make and Break of Friendship**

In the event Petunia did not find sending the letter nearly as easy as she imagined. It wasn't as if she could just throw it into the nearest post-box and hope it would miraculously get to its destination intact and before Christmas. What were the odds that someone related to magical folk worked at the post office, and somehow found and sent the letter to the right place?

Luckily Petunia still remembered the strange place Lily had always bought her books and robes and some truly nasty things she said were supplies for potions class. Perhaps someone there could help her.

It was nearly eleven when Petunia finally stood outside the Leaky Cauldron, which appeared to her as if viewed through a smudge on the windshield. She looked at her watch for the second time in as many minutes. Vernon wouldn't be home until six and she wouldn't see Dudley until the weekend (she tried to ignore the sting of pain in her heart at the thought). She had time.

Petunia took a deep breath, steeling herself and walked in.

The place was dark and shabby and Petunia wished for a broom, a mop and some hot clean water.

She walked quickly to the bar, remembering for a moment seven times she'd come here with her parents and sister, her resentment always equalled by curiosity and triumphed by longing. She shook her head once to clear it. "Excuse me, how can I reach Diagon Alley if I don't have a wand?"

The old barman looked up and squinted at Petunia for a moment then came out from behind the bar and led her out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a dustbin and a few weeds(1). He pointed to one of the bricks in the wall above the dustbin and said, "Tap that one three times. If it doesn't work, come back." Then he turned and walked back inside.

Petunia waited until he was out of sight before returning her attention to the brick wall. She tapped the brick tree times, then nearly jumped back when it quivered and a hole grew from its middle into a large archway.

With another deep breath she walked through, paused for a moment to stare, as she always had, and set off briskly for Gringotts to exchange her money for the strange coins wizards used. From there she went to _Eeylops Owl Emporium_ which she knew doubled as a post office for a bit of a price.

Once the clerk had sent off an owl with her letter Petunia breathed a little easier. She indulged herself a little by buying a book about common magical plants and a stuffed tiger that purred when you stroked it for Dudley.

The thought came to her suddenly, unbidden and unwanted. _Lily would be proud. _And she was not certain whether or not it had been at all sarcastic.

* * *

In the morning Professor McGonagall descended upon Betty the moment she set foot in the Great Hall. She immediately took points from Gryffindor and assigned Betty detention for that evening, although that could have been much worse since she'd have to spend it helping Madame Pomfrey.

On the other hand there was still that conversation with Snape, and Betty was sure he'd not let her off the hook that lightly.

Morning classes went by fast and by lunch she and her classmates already had a mountain of homework. They spent the meal groaning and complaining about their teachers and wishing the weekend would hurry up and arrive (which, in all honesty, was rather ridiculous, seeing as this was their second day of classes).

After lunch Betty had only Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, though several other Gryffindors had Muggle Studies after that.

Today she almost wished she'd chosen the class for her NEWTs even though she knew it could not delay her meeting with Snape.

When she was finally standing in front of his office just down the hall from the classroom Betty was half nervous and half calm. Of course that could simply have been the calm before the storm.

She knocked.

After a few minutes she knocked again. When there was still no answer Betty began to hope he might have forgotten. She knocked a third time, waited a bit and turned to leave.

Only to walk directly into a tall, black, soft barrier.

She lost her balance but hands caught her arms and steadied her. For a long moment Betty simply stood there, eyes closed, trying to ignore the heat rising steadily on her face and hoped this was just a dream.

* * *

The whole thing was an accident, however amusing. Severus had been quite late for his meeting with Miss Gray because McGonagall needed someone to rant at about aforementioned student for being out of bed after curfew, _after midnight_, and how the girl had never before done such things and that her friend Turner was usually the one caught in wrongdoing.

He'd scared a few of the younger students with his scowl on his way to the dungeons but by the time he got there his feelings had simmered down to mild annoyance, which was abruptly replaced by amusement at the growing hope on Miss Gray's face when no one answered what could not have been her first knock.

Humans in general and students in particular were painfully predictable. So he stood there, not two steps from the girl and waited for her to notice him.

Somehow she didn't until she collided with his chest. She lost her balance and his hands reached automatically to steady her even though the impact had knocked the breath out of him. Severus thought _hard-headed_ might be the best way to describe her.

Then the girl stood still for a moment. He couldn't see her face very well but what he _could_ see was rapidly turning bright red. When she stepped away he could see her whole face was pink, with two darker splotches high on her cheekbones.

He stepped past her to unlock the door to his office. "After you, Miss Gray." He said, allowing just a hint of his amusement to show in his voice.

Impossibly, the splotches on her cheeks darkened but she kept her head held high and entered the room with as much dignity as possible.

* * *

The room was dark until Snape flicked his wand at the fireplace and a few candles, and the first thing Betty saw was a large desk near the centre. The walls were lined with shelves, one side completely taken up by books, on the others stood jars filled with strange and likely disgusting things (though Betty couldn't suppress a surge of fascination and a desire to find out what these things where and why Snape kept them on the walls of his office).

Movement pulled her attention from her wandering thoughts back to Snape, who had closed the door and was now rounding the desk to stand opposite her.

With the part of her mind reserved for this particular topic she noticed that all three of his Shadows were nearly invisible while the rest of her was absolutely focused of getting out of here as fast as she could manage without embarrassing herself or losing Gryffindor any points.

She'd heard of the way Snape treated students, especially non-Slytherin students, and though she knew not to trust rumours too much, she also knew to be wary of him.

Snape's voice interrupted her (again) wandering thoughts. "I expect you know why you are here, Miss Gray."

Betty was tempted to say no, just for the fun of it, before remembering that he was her teacher and should therefore be taken seriously, even if they knew far more about one another, shared more secrets than the average teacher and student. "Yes, sir." She answered instead.

He waited and so did she, and after a while it dawned on her that he expected her to elaborate. "I was out on the Quidditch pitch last night, past curfew. It was pretty stupid but I couldn't sleep and I needed to think." She shrugged a bit. "So I went out to fly for a bit." No need to tell him that she'd deliberately waited until everybody else had gone to sleep, nor the reason she had left the tower without even attempting to sleep.

"I see. And why couldn't you sleep?" His left eyebrow was raised and for some reason her eyes focused on that instead of meeting his gaze.

Betty shifted her weight, wondering why he hadn't asked her to sit on the chair in front of the desk. "I was… thinking about something Harry told me." She wasn't about to volunteer any information. Let him ask, she'd answer. She was good at this game, as she should be considering the amount of practice she'd had, with her parents, her friends, her relatives (all of whom were unbelievably nosy).

He stared at her for a moment, then his expression cleared with realization (not the cold expressionlessness he put on in public when he wasn't scowling) "Ah," he said, and no more. She finally met his eyes in response to the challenge in his voice and they stayed like that for a while.

* * *

Severus had not expected the conversation to be nearly this entertaining. It wasn't funny anymore, but it captured his attention and held it in a way few things had done in nearly a decade (and wasn't that a scary thought, that he could, without exaggeration, say 'decade').

Miss Gray answered his questions, truthfully as far as he could tell, but incompletely. It would probably be frustrating if she kept it up, but for now he viewed her resistance as nothing more than a challenge.

They had moved past the obvious bits and were now locked in a staring contest. After several minutes her expression changed from determination through chagrin to resignation. She broke eye-contact, sighed and slumped a bit, and began speaking.

"I told you about Harry's nightmare and how he somehow found his way into the girls' dorm in Gryffindor tower to sleep in my bed. Of course, I know this is accidental magic and that would have been my first guess anyway but I told neither you nor Professor Dumbledore that I got confirmation for this theory or where I did." Her gaze turned suddenly piercing, reminding him of Dumbledore. "Promise me you won't tell anyone what I tell you or I'll keep the rest to myself."

And she would, he could see it written in her face. Such a Gryffindor, always wearing her heart on her sleeve. He nodded once. "Very well. I promise." She continued to watch him for a moment before returning his nod.

"Alright. So, you remember Harry's 'guardian-Shadows'? They've begun to communicate with me over the summer. Or Lily has. James sticks to Harry like glue but Lily sometimes tells me things. Professor, do you read Terry Pratchett?" she asked randomly.

He blinked stupidly a few times. "I have… read one or two of the Discworld novels." Which was a lie. He owned everything the man had published so far and was waiting anxiously for the next book. "But what does Terry Pratchett have to do with anything?"

"My father's a great fan, hopes to meet the man someday. Anyway, in an attempt to understand what goes through my father's mind, Mama and I read the books, too. Now we're all fans, and I'm sure Ellie will be too when she starts reading Discworld, though Daddy's still the most obsessive. But that isn't the point. That point is that Lily speaks like Death, or the way I imagine he would sound. You know, all capital letters and sort of inside my head." She looked at him, hopeful, worried, pleading. He didn't understand the expression. "That makes me sound like a nutcase. Totally delusional."

"Yes." He said, very calmly, and waited.

* * *

Betty stared at Snape in horror, wanted to reply, to shout or to cry or maybe both, and did not even feel childish for thinking it. Then Snape continued.

"And if I were to walk up to a Muggle in the street and tell him I was a wizard, tell him about Diagon Alley and Hogwarts, what do you think it would make me sound like?" His left eyebrow was raised high again. "Just because something sounds insane doesn't mean it's not true. Surely you knew that."

Now that she had got over her horror Betty was seething. She tried to calm herself down, tried to remember her resolve to walk away from this without losing house points, tried to remember that more detention meant less time with Harry, tried to remember that this was a teacher, her superior, not her equal. It nearly worked but Snape wasn't finished yet.

"Of course, even a wizard would send you to the closed ward in St. Mungo's if you told him you were seeing dead people and hearing voices in your head." He paused once more, still watching her intently. Heavens, why couldn't she stop listening, just shut off her ears the way she did in Binns' History class to avoid having them fall off? "I would suggest talking the problem over with Mrs. Potter. Perhaps the dead can save the mad."

If it weren't for the slight hesitation before he said Mrs. Potter and the way the last sentence didn't quite seem to be directed at her, Betty would have exploded in a spitting, hissing, screaming rage that would've burned bright and hot like a balloon of Helium held too close to a heat source and that would have faded just as fast. Instead she regained enough control over her emotions that she could carefully target her anger; make it burn cold rather than hot, make it last for a while.

"I see I was wrong. If this is how you treat your friends, then trusting you is one of the most stupid things I have done lately. Did you know you were only the second person I have ever told about this… gift? The first was Mike, who earned my trust, who kept all my other secrets. Before January last year he was the only person in the world who knew. Then in June I only explained more to you and Dumbledore because I didn't have much choice." Betty was at the door now, Snape had not moved, even to breathe she thought. "You're a real arsehole, Snape. See you in class on Thursday." She made sure to slam the door behind her as hard as she could manage.

_

* * *

September 3, 1984_

_Dear Mum and Dad (and Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny. Don't worry, I won't forget you.)_

_I've been sorted into Gryffindor, and it's great. (No, I won't tell you how you're sorted. You'll find out when it's your turn.) Bill's been helping me find my way around but he keeps teasing me because I made friends with a Ravenclaw.  
We've already got a heap of homework, due next week. I think I'm going to spend my life stuck in the library if all the teachers are like this. (Don't laugh. You'll be doing the same in a few years.)  
Mum, I eat my vegetables, I sleep well, I get enough fresh air and I'll be careful when we have our first flying lesson. Try not to worry too much.  
I love you._

_Charlie_

* * *

Charlie started at the distinct sounds of someone tripping behind him but didn't turn. He knew who that was.

"So, what do you think of Snape?" He asked as Tonks sat down beside him.

"He's terrible." Charlie nodded. "But I think he was in a bad mood today, so I'm hopeful our next lesson will be better. He terrified Sarah Jenks from Hufflepuff nearly to the point of catatonia. And just because she stirred one times too many." She sighed.

"You're not the only one he pissed off lately." said Charlie. "One of the seventh years, Betty Gray, spent yesterday evening telling her friends what a horrible person Snape is. Loudly and creatively, and without using the kind of language mum's always scolding us for. Me and the other first years pretended to do homework just so we could listen. It was better than putting the twins, Auntie Muriel and some fireworks in the same house."

That comment sparked Tonks' curiosity, and Charlie spent quite some time telling her about the twins, then his other brothers and baby sister. In return Tonks told him some stories of her own family.

They interrupted themselves only when a group of students raced past them, talking loudly about supper.

**

* * *

AN:** I know, I know, Terry Pratchett hadn't published more than two or three Discworld novels in 1984 but there was also no such thing as a Playstation in the 90s and Dudley still got one for his birthday.  
Review, please?


	13. Hallowe'en

**Hallowe'en**

Unfortunately, due to their timetables and massive amounts of homework, Charlie and Tonks didn't get another chance to talk until Saturday afternoon. They met in the library, bringing along their Transfiguration homework, since that was the only class first year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws had together.

They were discussing something McGonagall had said and what their parents said about the same subject, when they heard furious whispering an aisle or two nearer the back of the library.

Charlie stared in the direction of the whispering for a moment, until one of the voices rose enough that he recognized it. He looked back at Tonks and found her expression mirroring his.

They got up quietly, listening intently as the walked along the rows of books.

As the got closer, Charlie was surprised that he recognized the second voice as well. "…worried about Harry. There was no need to treat me like… like, like that." Betty Gray was saying.

"I have already apologized, but it had the desired effect, did it not? You forgot your worry in your anger at me. And Professor Gilbert has mentioned your excellent spellwork in his class," answered Professor Snape.

Charlie and Tonks stared at one another. There was obviously something strange going on here.

"He has?" Gray sounded astounded. "Never mind that. No matter what effect you desired," she continued, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was still hurt by your words, and the things you did not say. That sort of thing is the reason almost no one knows about my gift. And besides, what I told you, about Lily, it's _important_. Potentially as useful as it is dangerous and, dammit, I thought you could help me. Instead you made me question my trust in you, in myself, in everyone." She chuckled weakly. "Except Harry."

"Well, I'll admit my words had unexpected and undesired side-effects. Perhaps we should discuss these things somewhere a bit less public. I cannot help feeling that we're being listened to." There was a rustle of cloth and Charlie and Tonks hurried back to their table as silently as they could manage, and did not speak of anything but Transfiguration until their homework was finished. Then they went outside to enjoy the last of the setting autumn sun, sitting in silence until it was nearly time for supper.

On the front steps of the castle Tonks said, "Let's talk about it tomorrow."

Charlie nodded and said, "Tomorrow."

As he walked toward his seat at the Gryffindor table he wondered who Harry could be.

* * *

The boy in question was in fact eating supper at the moment. He and Madame Pomfrey were having sausages, baby carrots and mashed potatoes.

They had just finished dessert (peanut-butter-chocolate-chip cookies) when Betty came in, breathing hard and red-faced.

Harry hugged her tightly, which made her laugh, holding him. Without warning she started to tickle him. He shrieked and squirmed and laughed but didn't try too hard to escape.

They played for a long time; tickling, cuddling, running and shouting. Finally they finished a puzzle with three teddy bears on it and Betty said it was time for bed. Harry pouted and looked pitiful, but did as she said.

The next day and evening went much the same, though Madame Pomfrey made Harry go to sleep nearly a whole hour earlier.

And in the morning it was time to go to the kindergarten for the first time.

* * *

"Alright, everybody! Grab a chair and sit in a circle. Kelly, you sit with me. Harry, you too." Gina watched them carefully to make sure none of the kids started fighting.

Finally everyone settled down enough that they'd hear her when she talked. "Before we can get started I'd like to introduce two new lion cubs." She gestured boy and girl on either side of her. "This is Harry and this is Kelly. They've only just moved here so be nice and make them feel welcome." Kelly grinned and waved but Harry only ducked his head. Gina reached behind her for a soft ball. "Now, when you catch this ball I want you to tell us your name and favourite animal." She threw the ball.

* * *

However curious Charlie was, he had no idea where to start looking for Harry and eventually he and Tonks agreed to wait until they knew more.

As the days melted into weeks and then months and the teachers kept them busy he slowly forgot about Harry.

Charlie continued to meet Tonks more and more often, especially after he discovered that she enjoyed Quidditch nearly as much as he did. This was a great relief, because only one of Charlie's dorm mates came from a magical family, and Aiden thought Quidditch was a dangerous waste of time and nothing more.

The first Quidditch match was scheduled for November 3, Gryffindor-Ravenclaw, and Charlie and Tonks spent the last week of October in a near-constant state of excitement.

The 31st dawned cold and grey, and many students wore scarves even inside. Charlie spent the whole day looking forward to the feast in the evening. He'd heard his parents and Bill talk about the Hallowe'en feast at Hogwarts often enough. He only wished he and Tonks could sit at the same table.

As it was, the feast was everything he'd expected, and half-way through the meal he was in a heated discussion about the more dangerous magical creatures with a third year girl and a pair of second year boys.

By the time he'd finished dessert (he stopped after his second helping, because he couldn't ignore the memory of mum's voice admonishing him) Charlie felt content and a bit sleepy and energised at the same time.

His attention was distracted from his classmate by Betty Gray suddenly going as white as a ghost, jumping up and running from the Great Hall at top speed. He contemplated following her for a moment, then decided he had no chance of keeping up with her, and returned to his dorm mates' discussion about Quidditch versus baseball.

* * *

Betty was keeping up a steady litany of swearing in her mind. She'd been totally focused on the absolutely delicious pumpkin pie she'd been eating when the nightmare-alarm she had on Harry had gone off spectacularly.

He must be having one truly horrible dream for the alarm to react that strongly, and Betty was sure something was wrong, because even when his dreams were especially bad it always started out slow, building over a span of at least two minutes. Tonight it had started with terrifying suddenness and intensity.

The alarm peaked suddenly, like a scream of terror only she could hear, and Betty stumbled.

She ignored her aching knees and burning palms, got up and ran even faster.

When she finally reached the corridor where Harry's rooms were located she nearly crashed into the wall turning the corner.

The string of curses had stopped two corners earlier, replaced by mindless rage and horror, suffused with worry.

She heard the screaming before she even touched the doorknob.

* * *

Charlie was about to leave when he saw three paper planes fly above the heads of the students, separate and head for Dumbledore, Snape and Madame Pomfrey.

The three exchanged glances, then Dumbledore turned to speak with McGonagall while the other two hurried off.

Immensely curious, Charlie waved at Tonks and followed.


	14. Aftermath

**Disclaimer:** The scene Harry describes is borrowed in it's entirety from DH, though summarized and occasionally quoted. And do remember that Harry is only four at this point.

**Aftermath**

Tonks caught Charlie up two corridors from the entrance hall. She started toward Gryffindor tower but Charlie grabbed her arm. "No, they went this way." He said, and went in the direction he'd seen Madame Pomfrey's robes disappear.

They stopped, panting, when they saw Snape glance suspiciously up and down the corridor and hurriedly hid in an alcove. A minute later they heard a door open and Charlie watched as Tonks leaned around him to see what was going on. Her face became gray like the stones around them and her hair smoothed down and adopted the same colour.

After a minute or two a door opened, then Charlie heard Madame Pomfrey's voice but couldn't make out the words.

Tonks suddenly pulled her head back motioning frantically for him to be quiet.

A heartbeat later Snape came into view, robes billowing around him.

Charlie was about to release the breath he'd held when Snape stopped and looked directly at him, a horrifying sort of smile curling his lips.

"Come along, Weasley, Tonks."

Charlie traded a look with Tonks as they followed Snape. _Oh, shit._

Betty had nearly forgotten to close the door in her haste to get to Harry and had then slammed it for the same reason. There was a millisecond of silence before Harry's screaming resumed, this time in short, high-pitched bursts of panic.

On the bed Harry was thrashing around, waving his arms and kicking his legs as though he were battling invisible foes.

Betty called his name; once, twice, and then his face turned toward her where she knelt beside the bed.

She was speaking and not hearing, knowing only that the alarm shrilling in her head had calmed a bit. Her hand reached out to smooth the sweaty hair from Harry's forehead, only to pull back immediately when she encountered blood. The litany of swearing resumed in her mind.

_What do I do?_

A memory surfaced suddenly, of Harry chasing paper planes in the hospital wing. Magically animated paper planes.

She spared a moment to thank whoever was listening for magic and summoned parchment, a quill and an inkwell. Cut the parchment into pieces the right size for paper planes, write three brief messages, fold the parchment, enchant each plane to fly to the intended recipient. Finished.

She returned her attention to Harry, now softly whimpering, his eyes still closed. She began carding her fingers through his hair, like Mama often did to her.

"Harry, wake up. You're safe, it's only a dream. Wake up, my little one, everything's going to be alright." Her chanting became a song Mama used to sing when Ellie was a baby.

Betty barely noticed when Madame Pomfrey entered the room and began examining Harry, whose breathing had calmed though he still made little noises of distress every now and then.

Her fingers stayed combing through Harry's hair; her attention remained on the bleeding scar on his forehead. She could not make herself stop singing.

_My little one is having bad dreams. The lightening bleeds this third anniversary._

_Hurry._

Severus stared at the cryptic note for a moment longer before the pieces slotted together in his mind.

Then he shot from his seat in the same instant Pomfrey did.

He restrained himself from running until he and Pomfrey had left the Great Hall, quickly overtaking the woman.

As it was he still arrived only moment before the medi-witch and spent the first minute after she entered Potter's rooms getting his breath back, thinking all the while that he should make more of an effort to stay fit.

Then he attempted (with only partial success) to ignore the paranoid little voice at the back of his head telling him he was being watched. That little voice had served him well during Death Eater meetings but at Hogwarts it was completely inappropriate.

When Pomfrey came out though, he had other things to worry about.

"I've not been able to wake him, though Miss Gray's presence seems to keep him mostly calm. And that scar of his is oozing blood." She sighed. "I'm reluctant to give him Dreamless Sleep; the potion could very well trap him in whatever nightmare he's having, never mind that I wouldn't give it to him at that age anyway. I'll know when he wakes but until that happens I doubt we can do anything."

Severus watched her go back inside, then turned to find Dumbledore. Halfway down the corridor he noticed, from the corner of his eye, a splash of bright red on the stone walls. He turned to see Weasley, though he wasn't certain which on until he saw the Tonks girl by his side, the colours of her hair and skin returning to normal.

He felt his lips turning up in a smile. "Come along, Weasley, Tonks," he said, gleeful.

She woke to a small hand playing with her hair. She wished it would stop, not because it felt bad (quite the contrary) but because her hair felt disgusting. She'd meant to shower last night but then-

Betty's eyes snapped open and she lifted her head. Harry smiled at her. "Good morning, Betty," he said.

"Are you alright?" she asked anxiously. Harry nodded. Betty's arms moved suddenly, without her consent, to embrace him and pull him tight against her chest. Her fingers stroked his hair, her other hand smoothed down his back and she felt an irrational need to ascertain that he was real.

He seemed startled for a moment but then his arms wrapped around her neck. The words he whispered were muffled so she nearly missed them. "Are _you_ okay?"

Betty tightened her arms for a moment then let him go. "Yes, I'm fine now." She glanced at her watch. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No, but Madame Pomfrey said she brought something. Are you hungry, too?" Betty smiled. The questions and answers chasing each other around her head could wait.

The forest was dark, even with the sun shining bright. The air was cool and damp. The hunter slept, curled inside a hollow tree.

"Betty?"

"Yes, Harry?"

There was a long pause until he thought the boy would not speak after all, and then he had to strain to hear his voice.

"I dreamed about the woman again. And a man. They laughed and then someone came in the house and the man started screaming. Then the woman screamed too and someone else was laughing. And there was a lot of green light." The silence had a different quality now. "They talked -the man and the woman- before the one who laughed came. But I couldn't hear what they said. And then the man shouted-" The boy's voice cut off for a moment, then continued in a near-perfect imitation of James Potter. "_'Take Harry and go!'_ and then the one who laughed told the woman _'Step aside, silly girl!'_ and she wouldn't, she asked him to take her life instead of her son. Then the green light started and everything _hurt_." There was another pause. He took the opportunity to digest everything he'd heard, the way the child's voice had changed to imitate he ones he quoted, the pain and the fear and the suspicion –and the wonder in his tone.

"Have you ever dreamed like this before?"

There was a whisper of movement. "I don't remember," the child answered, taking care to get all the syllables of the last word right.

"Well, you won't ever again, if I have anything to say about it." The girl's voice was brisk and business-like, and he could hear someone moving about, but he had not missed the aggressive protectiveness hidden carefully beneath layers of certainty.

He turned to walk away. He had much to think about.

Snape questioned them extensively and still seemed dissatisfied when he was done and had assigned them separate detentions.

Charlie wasn't sure what he wanted to hear other than the truth. Well, the part of the truth Charlie and Tonks were willing to tell him.

Not that his ability to keep a secret saved him from Bill's teasing about sneaking off with a girl only to be caught by Snape of all people. Charlie's insistence that Tonks was only a friend and they were too young for that sort of thing only served to make it worse.

By the time the Quidditch match started two days later Charlie began to get used to walking around with a permanently red face and burning ears. His only consolation was that neither Tonks nor Snape saw fit to comment on that, though Charlie thought Snape knew that he was already humiliated enough.

The match extremely tense but Gryffindor won by ten points, courtesy of the seeker catching the snitch about three seconds before one of the Ravenclaw chasers scored another goal.

Tonks was a bit miffed when they met in the entrance hall to discuss the game, but she insisted Gryffindor winning had been pure luck and the Ravenclaw team was much more skilled. Charlie knew she was right, of course, but he wasn't about to admit that.

_November 4, 1984_

_Dear Mama,_

_How are you and Daddy and Ellie? I'm alright, though there's been a great deal of excitement over the last few days, and most of it wasn't good. I'll tell you all about it when we see each other next.  
The next topic is related but the explanation of how will have to wait. I would like to bring along a guest when I come home for Christmas. Due to recent events we would not like to be separated if it can be avoided. The Headmaster and Madame Pomfrey have agreed, and even Professor Snape has not objected. That's practically like an open expression of approval for him.  
My school work is going well, though I've had some difficulty with the practical application of the last few charms Professor Flitwick has taught us. The theory is simple but I can't seem to get the actual magic to work. Worse, I'm the only one still having trouble with the spells.  
Professor Binns mentioned something in our last class that I thought might interest you. I'm sending a copy of my essay on the subject along with this letter. (You owe me for this. I knew what subject would likely come up around Halloween and I made a special effort to stay alert and listen. I'll think of something I want by Christmas.)  
Have you heard from Mrs. Flowers lately? What I hear is confined to the observations of a child more focused on playing with his new friends than his surroundings. Please send her my regards.  
Write back soon._

_Love,  
Betty_

_November 7, 1984_

_My dear Annabeth_

_I'm quite alright, busy with my students, of course. Your father is just as busy, treating colds and such, and nearly catching one himself because he keeps forgetting his umbrella. Ellie is complaining about her homework but she's doing very well.  
Mrs. Flowers asked me send you her regards in return and added that her son is doing well. She especially mentioned how well the two new children are fitting into the kindergarten group. The girl has already been on at least two playdates and the boy is quite popular with all the children. Apparently he likes to help and teach and does it in a way that the other children don't resent him for interfering.  
Keep up the good work in class, and thank you very much for the essay. I think I'll go to London to buy a few books on the subject next week. If I can't find the time I think I shall simply mention the titles to your father and they'll likely be underneath the Christmas tree.  
On the topic of your guest, if he is the one you went to visit this summer, he is welcome to stay in the guest room over the holidays. Do ask for permission and send me a confirmation if you receive it.  
Write again soon, little love._

_All my love,  
Mama_

A lipstick-pink kiss had been pressed onto the paper beside the signature. Betty had no idea why her mother always left these on her letters but it was almost as nice as getting them in person.

The door opened behind her and Joanne entered, obviously angry. She threw herself down on her bed, huffed a few times. It wasn't until she heard a tiny sob that Betty realized her friend was crying.

She walked over and sat on the edge of Joanne's bed. "What's wrong?" she took her hand.

Joanne gripped her fingers hard and sniffled a bit. "I walked in on Brian snogging some Hufflepuff. That bitch told me not to interrupt while they were busy. I slapped her hard and used that spell you showed me last year to make the handprint stay there for a while. And I told Tricia in fifth year that Brian's a cheating bastard." She huffed again, this time with satisfaction.

Betty suppressed a laugh. "You told Tricia Hale? Oh my. Oh my_ gosh!_ Well, I suppose… All's fair in love and war. I guess this is a bit of both." She hugged Joanne and they stayed like that for a while, silent. There was nothing more to say.

Besides, if Tricia Hale knew (or thought she knew) _anything_, then the rest of the school would hear all about it before supper.

This assumption wasn't incorrect, but Betty was too preoccupied to pay attention to gossip. She spent some time obtaining permission to bring Harry home with her for the Christmas holidays, which was the easy part, and then organising everything, which was more difficult than Betty had anticipated.

Worse than the nightmares and the preparations, though, was Lily Potter.

She had not spoken a word to Betty since September but she had given the impression of restlessness and some other suppressed emotion since before Halloween. This translated into pacing and nail-chewing (though Betty never noticed any difference in the state of her nails), and made Betty nervous to the point that she developed an uncontrollable twitching in her right hand (the fact that this twitching invariably brought her hand in the vicinity of her wand was completely irrelevant).

After several days of this Betty had finally had enough.

Near the end of the first week of November she sat up in Harry's room until he had fallen asleep. Then she put a charm on him which made him essentially deaf to everything but his own breathing.

She folded her arms and stared at Guardian-Lily. "So, what's wrong?"

Lily didn't turn her eyes from Harry's face.

"Seriously, either work it out or tell me, because you're driving me spare."

The look Lily shot her conveyed her indifference to Betty's problems.

"If I'm tired from nightmares and half-insane because of something only I can see, then I won't be much good protecting Harry, don't you think?"

Lily's head whipped around and she stared at Betty through narrow eyes. Then her head fell forward, face hidden by a curtain of red.

Betty froze. It made a horrible sort of sense now. The restless pacing, the nail-chewing, the defensiveness, the strange silence; they were all signs of suppressed fear, growing stronger in direct proportion to Harry's nightmare-memories.

But exactly what could Lily be afraid of?

**AN:** I got my inspiration for the spell Joanne mentions from the Sacrifices Arc by Lightening on the Wave. Narcissa uses the same spell on Lucius when Harry and Draco are in their second year, I think, but it has a different meaning there. Correct me if I'm wrong. Also, if you don't mind slash and have nothing to do over the weekend, I highly recommend reading Sacrifices Arc. It ranks really high up on my list of Best Reads Ever, but you need a strong stomach for the later stories.

I added the last scene long after everything else was finished. I felt the chapter was somehow incomplete until I did.

Also, this is one of the longest chapters yet.

Love, Annabeth


	15. Year's End

**Year's End**

November passed quickly, though the first two weeks were punctuated by nightmares for both Harry and Betty.

Betty, like most students, spent the December Hogsmeade weekends trying frantically to find gifts for all her friends and family, and counted herself lucky to be one of the few who succeeded. This year.

And then it was suddenly time to go home for the holidays. When Betty arrived at King's Cross only Daddy was there to pick her up, since Mama had remained at home to watch Ellie and Harry, who'd been sent by Floo that morning.

Their reception at home was noisy and colourful and fragrant. Harry told her that the three of them had been baking cookies all day. This was not strictly true, since the smell was of spaghetti alla bolognese, but Mama showed Betty the full cookie jar as proof.

The next day they finished decorating which had been a family tradition as long as Betty could remember. In fact, one of her first memories was of Daddy lifting her up to put the star at the top of the tree and Mama laughing as Betty got covered in needles in the process.

This year, however, it was Betty lifting Harry up. As she lowered him to the floor she couldn't resist tickling his ribs and he squirmed and giggled and tried to tickle her in return.

Christmas was… peaceful more than anything else. There was a lot of smiling and laughing, wonderful presents, and the cookies Harry and Ellie had made with Mama tasted good and were liberally decorated, which made Betty and Daddy laugh as they compared their cookies.

As New Year's Eve neared the excitement rose steadily, and by ten thirty in the evening Harry, Ellie and Betty were so high on adrenaline that they were impatiently running about (they had gone to a field outside town to shoot and watch the fireworks) and shouting until they ran out of energy near midnight.

Finally it was time and together they watched Daddy light the fuse on the first firework, before coming over to put his arm around mum.

At the exact moment when the old year ended and the new year began, Betty was squatting, supported on either side by Harry and Ellie who were gripping her arms like lifelines as they watched the sky light up with bright eyes.

If she cared to look, Betty knew, she would see her parents kissing.

She hoped dearly that what they said about New Year's was true. She was in the place she wanted to be for the rest of the year.

Charlie Weasley was hoping the exact opposite thing.

He stood in the backyard with his mother, a few feet away from his father and siblings, being shouted at for sneaking Fred and George a firework.

Of course he couldn't tell mum that they had blackmailed him. The two had found the present Tonks had sent and threatened to show it to all their siblings unless Charlie did something for them. Unwilling to give his brothers (especially Bill who would tell his classmates) any more ammunition to tease him with, he had submitted to his fate. What he also wouldn't tell mum, was that the firecracker she had confiscated was only the last of seven or eight. Fred and George would be sure to get revenge when he was least expecting it.

On the other hand, he intended to do that exact same thing.

Dora tripped suddenly, miraculously for the first time that evening, flailing for something to hold onto, hit the table with the cake on it, and landed hard on the ground.

As she was pushing herself back to her feet, Andromeda watched the table tip toward the box of fireworks and started running. She reached Dora just as the first candle fell from the cake on one of the fireworks, and as the world lit up in fire and bright lights and loud cracks, Andromeda landed a good ten yards away, still clutching Dora to her chest.

After she had got her breath back and recovered from the sudden Apparition, she held Dora out at arm's length and began patting her down to make sure she was still in one piece. "Oh, thank god. You're alright."

But Dora was already turning around, watching with awe the spectacle of light and noise where the table had once been.

Andromeda followed her eyes and found her own widening with similar emotion, and they stood there, mother and daughter, watching the lights dance in their backyard.

_Somehow I doubt anyone's going to remember the cake now…_

Far up north two old men were watching the stars, side by side and yet not quite together.

"Strange things have happened this year," said one.

"And yet stranger things will happen in the next," replied a voice from the dark forest behind the men.

Each spared a glance at the newcomer, then returned to watching the stars. The newcomer joined them.

"I wonder what she'll do. The girl. Wonder what that young man'll do, for that matter. But between them, I think the boy will be well taken care of," said the second man after a long silence.

"Their paths are uncertain. If they have been written, the stars have not yet revealed their stories to me, or any of us," said the newcomer. "Has your pet fortune teller spoken again?" he continued after a pause, directing his question at the first man.

The man sighed. "Not yet, but I fear she soon will. I do wonder if she is simply waiting for the right person to speak to."

"Well, nothing anyone can do now. Let's hope the peace lasts long and that we'll be ready when it goes. No need to worry about things we can't change," said the second man. He pulled a bottle from a pocket that looked far too small for something so large. "Might as well celebrate the new year in the traditional way."

The first man smiled behind his beard. "And what way would that be?"

"Getting so drunk you can't see straight."

On a tiny island even farther up north a large black dog slept dreamlessly in his cell.

All good things to those who wait.

**AN:** Well, fuck me, it's over.

Don't worry, it's not completely over, the story will continue, but this part is finished.

I hope everyone enjoyed reading 'Shadows of the Past' as much as I enjoyed writing it.

It's been more than a year since I started writing this fic and it's been a hell of a ride. Not much 'real action' but I'm just fine with what I got. And I'm sure the future will be even more rocky. For both Betty and me.

Stay tuned for part two.

Love, Annabeth


End file.
